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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS 
OF BEGINNERS 




A DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 



Lessons for Teachers 
of Beginners 



by 



Frances Weld Danielson 




THE PILGRIM PRESS 

Boston New York Chicago 









Copyright, 1914 

by 

Frances Weld Danielson 



i Oils- 

THE PILGRIM PRESS 
BOSTON 

JUN 24 1914 

©CI.A376441 



INTRODUCTION 

"I am not worthy to be a teacher of little children" 
may be the sincere cry of a fine nature, or it may be the 
false claim of a Uriah Heep. The distinction can be 
clearly seen by the attempt that is made to become more 
worthy. The Uriah Heep type of teacher combines with 
her protestations of humility a secret satisfaction with her 
ideals and methods, and steadfastly maintains her dead 
level. The truly humble teacher grasps at every possible 
means to increase her efficiency. 

In the Sunday-school teaching force there is every va- 
riation of satisfied stagnation, inert discouragement and 
the noble discontent that not only sees visions, but is ready 
to labor to attain them. It is for teachers of the last 
sort that the following lessons are written, to assist them 
in achieving their purpose. 

A criticism of modern educational methods is that 
the memory of the child is developed more highly than 
his power to think, and the tide is gradually turning 
toward the cultivation of the reason. So the teacher of 
today needs not only to be familiar with the views of 
educational leaders ; she should have opinions of her own. 
Mere knowledge or repetition of the conclusions formed 
by others amounts to little unless it has passed through 
the lens of her own reason. 

The list of books on psychology, child study and peda- 
gogy is a notable one, and these lessons make no preten- 

[v] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

sion to add to the teacher's knowledge on any of these 
subjects. Their purpose, rather, is to stimulate her to 
think independently, to make her own observations, and 
to gain ability through practise. 

In order to be helpful to groups of teachers or teachers' 
unions, the lessons are arranged for use in a class, the leader 
of which should employ the questions and suggestions for 
discussion to draw out the thought of all its members. 
Reviews of books, papers, or reports of research work 
done outside the class may well be recognized by a certifi- 
cate at the end of the course. The lessons are purposely 
made suggestive rather than exhaustive, that they may be 
practical when the class period is short. 



[vi] 



CONTENTS 

LESSON PAGE 

I Knowing the Children ... i 

II The Significance of Childhood . . 6 

III The Significance of Childhood (continued) 12 

IV Children as Individuals . . 19 
V A Little Child's Religion ... 25 

VI A Little Child's Religion (continued) . 33 

VII The Little Child's Lessons ... 39 

VIII The Value of the Story ... 47 

IX How to Tell a Story .... 54 

X Practise in Story-Telling ... 60 

XI Building the Program — The Story Period . 65 

XII Building the Program— The Circle Talk . 72 

XIII Building the Program— The Circle Talk (cont'd) 79 

XIV Practise in Conducting the Circle Talk . 85 
XV Building the Program — The Remaining Parts 91 

XVI The Importance of Music ... 97 

XVII Seeing and Touching .... 104 

XVIII Learning Through Doing . . . no 

XIX Utilizing the Play Instinct ... 118 

XX Our Surroundings .... 125 

XXI Making the Machinery Run Smoothly . 133 

XXII Home Cooperation .... 140 

XXIII Festival Days . . . . . 146 

XXIV The Children's Response . . . 153 

[vii] 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



A Declaration of Independence 



The Age of Dependence 

A Fearless Horseman 

"I Woke Up Once in the Night" 

Furnace Room Utilized 

View Showing Room Arrangement 

View Showing Screen around the Furnace 

A Little Helper 



Frontispiece 

FACING 
PAGE 



v^ 



7V 
15 l^ 

125 V 

129 ^ 
131 \/ 

158 y 



[ix] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF 
BEGINNERS 



LESSON I 

Knowing the Children 

My teachers are the children. — Friedrich Froebel 

The Necessity 

Yesterday the first step in the education of the teacher 
was the study of the subjects it was her duty to impart 
to the child, who was looked upon as an empty receptacle 
into which knowledge must be poured. Today the first 
step is the study of the child, who is believed to possess 
instincts that it is the teacher's function to develop. 

A wise educator has said, "The answer to the question, 
How to teach? is contained in the answer to a second 
question, How is the child able to learn?" The reply to 
this comes from the child himself, and those only are 
competent to answer it who know him — his nature, his 
instincts, his feelings, his abilities. 

Did you ever think of the intimate acquaintance Luther 
Burbank must have had with plants before he was 
able to make improvements in them? And he did not 
know simply the plant, but the cactus, the dahlia and the 
peach-tree. It was through his knowledge of the pecu- 
liarities of these particular plants that he was able to 

[i] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

eliminate the spine from the cactus, to give the dahlia 
fragrance, and to cultivate a peach-tree that will resist 
frost. 

So the teacher must know John and Mary and Sarah, 
before she is fitted to form a composite picture called "the 
child," the accuracy of which is in proportion to the 
number of individuals who went to form it. For it is 
the child she is to teach rather than any subject. 

The Method 

Once convinced of its importance, how, then, shall we 
set to work to know children? Shall we go first to the 
library and steep ourselves in other people's knowledge? 
Shall we analyze children as a botanist analyzes flowers? 
Shall we begin by painting an ideal picture of children as 
our standard? 

I find certain objections to any of these methods, as 
the beginning of intimacy with children. Perchance, 
while we are deep in a book on child study, a real child 
passes by unobserved. As the poet finds in a flower some- 
thing besides petals and stamens and pistil, so the child- 
lover sees that in a child to which the child-botanist is 
blind. And in regard to the ideal painting, I challenge 
the imagination of any one who does not know children 
to exceed the charm of the reality. 

It was Froebel, that wonderful seer, who disclosed the 
secret, in his rally cry to all who would help childhood, 
"Come, let us live with our children!" 

Mothers have a great advantage over other women in 
living with their children, at least, literally; yet I some- 
times wonder if many mothers do not live with their chil- 
dren's bodies, and dwell quite outside the realm of their 

[2] 



KNOWING THE CHILDREN 

minds. There are mothers who are better nurses than 
companions; but the mothers who do enter into the 
mental and moral, as well as the physical life of their 
children, have a wonderful opportunity to become so sym- 
pathetic with child nature that they will be a blessing to 
childhood, long after their own little ones are men and 
women. 

And is this call of Froebel to mothers only? Because 
a woman neither bears nor rears children, is she barred 
out of their lives? She may enter, if she will. She may 
be the enchanting story-teller, who comes with her tales 
at bedtime. She may be the fairy godmother, who 
touches the dullest task with her wand and turns it into 
a fascinating game. She may be the lady who gives 
parties for children, even, they will tell you, when it is not 
her birthday. She may be the fascinating correspondent, as 
Phillips Brooks was to his nephews and nieces. She may 
be the grown-up visitor who is watched for, the chosen 
companion for a walk, the confidante of small secrets, the 
recipient of baby gifts. 

You think by so doing she is getting far away from 
Sunday-school teaching? Ah, no! she is drawing very, 
very close, for, little by little, she is entering into the minds 
and hearts of the children she teaches. She is learning to 
speak their language, to enjoy their pleasures, to think 
their thoughts, to realize their needs. 

The Example 

Do we require an example? We have one that is 
notable. When mothers brought their little ones to Jesus 
and the disciples sent them away, even an ardent child- 
lover of this age can appreciate their point of view. The 

[3] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

pressing needs of the sick and the sinning, the work of 
extending the new teaching that was bringing life to an 
old religion were so important that surety children could 
wait — children, who, so far as we know, were neither sick 
nor needy but quite normal. In a sentence Jesus made 
a total readjustment of values, as he said, "Suffer the 
little children to come unto me, and forbid them not," 
and turned from the crowd to cultivate the friendship of 
children. 

The Reward 

You may well feel that your labor to gain a knowledge 
of children is rewarded by your increased power as a 
teacher, and that the love of children which comes from 
a deeper acquaintance is a blessing beyond compare. But 
if, in the pride of your heart, or in the real desire to be of 
service, you are filled with an undue sense of your im- 
portance to childhood, look into your own life, and see 
what their companionship means to you. 

You are aging and would fain call back youth? But 
see, your old-time enthusiasm, your credulity, your 
optimism are coming back! They — the little ones — are 
bringing them to you. You are young? Yes, but the 
self-control, the patience, the poise, the sympathy that 
crude youth lacks — all this you are gaining. They — the 
children — are demanding it of you. You are a mother 
burdened with your responsibility? Your wider ac- 
quaintance with childhood is giving you a new grasp of 
your own children's problems. You have missed mother- 
hood? Here is your opportunity to wear for a time that 
crown. 

You may say that you cannot afford the time for this 

[4] 



KNOWING THE CHILDREN 

study of children, but whoever you are, old or young, 
married or single, busy or idle, let me tell you that rather, 
a thousand times rather, you cannot afford to miss the 
wonderful privilege. 

SUGGESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. What opportunities has a teacher in a city Sunday school 
to become acquainted with her children during the week? a 
teacher in a country school? 

2. Explain why joining children in their play helps one to 
understand them. 

3. Where outside of Sunday school can a teacher tell stories 
to children, and how will this help her in her teaching? 

4. Name some stories that appeal to children of this age. 
Good sources are "How to Tell Stories to Children," and 
"Stories to Tell to Children," by Sara Cone Bryant. 

5. Do you agree with the ideas in Chapter I, from "The Chil- 
dren of the Future," by Nora Archibald Smith? 

6. Read and comment upon pages 1-4, from "Talks with the 
Training Class," by Margaret Slattery. 



[5] 



LESSON II 

The Significance of Childhood 

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, 
I thought as a child. — Paul the Apostle 

Has It Meaning ? 

Scarcely more distinct are the four stages of the butter- 
fly — the egg, the caterpillar, the crysalid and the winged 
creature — than are childhood, youth, middle age and old 
age in a human life. Each period has its peculiar quali- 
ties, and an important result of the child study suggested 
in the last chapter is an understanding of the general 
characteristics of childhood. 

Perhaps the first question to settle is our attitude to 
these universal tendencies. Are they to be eradi- 
cated or promoted? Are they implanted by the 
Creator merely that the child may gain strength through 
overcoming them? Is it God's plan that human nature 
be made over entirely in order to please him who formed 
it? For, whatever may be said concerning individual 
traits, it seems hardly possible that qualities common to 
childhood should come to it by chance. Is the efficient 
teacher to be armed with a pruning knife? Are bird, 
beast and fish provided with instincts necessary for their 
existence, while the child's inborn characteristics must be 
rooted out before he can be called a child of God ? 

[6] 




THE AGE OF DEPENDENCE 



THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHILDHOOD 

The only way for us to come to a decision is to con- 
sider these general characteristics and judge whether they 
are helps or hindrances to the child's development. We 
must not make the mistake of viewing them as they appear 
in old age, middle age or youth, but decide whether they 
are an asset or detriment to childhood, with its limita- 
tions; whether they prepare or disqualify for later periods 
of life; and whether it is possible that these very tend- 
encies, which might be distinctly evil carried on to man- 
hood or womanhood in the same form, may not have their 
function in childhood. 

Is It Inferior to Animal Life? 

Children are frequently termed "little animals," but in 
one important respect they appear to start out in life 
rather less advantageously. How does a child of a week 
compare in his physical equipment for the world with a 
bird of the same age? 1 Has a colt any advantage over 
him, when both are a few days old? If you had to 
depend entirely upon yourself at birth, which would you 
prefer to be, a child or a codfish? Has a four or five- 
year-old child reached the full development of his physi- 
cal powers? Compare such a child with the animals 
referred to, at a similar age. What, then, shall we note 
as a universal characteristic of little children in contrast 
to young animals? 

^he questioning method is employed to draw out the thought 
of the class, and to induce discussion. The blackboard should 
be used to record conclusions formed, but it is pedantic and 
deadly to original thought and inductive teaching to insist upon 
any special word or phrase in the teacher's mind. The sugges- 
tions of the class should be used if they express the idea, even 
though less felicitously, the object being to stimulate thought, not 
to produce perfect outlines. 

[7] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

At first consideration this prolonged helplessness (de- 
pendence or weakness) seems a decided disadvantage. On 
further thought we wonder whether it can have any con- 
nection with the great contrast in human and animal 
f amity relations. Of how long duration is a mare's fond- 
ness for her colt? Parent birds' care of their 5 T oung? Is 
there such a thing as codfish family life? Might the long 
need of nurture promote love between parents and chil- 
dren? Would you, then, consider it better for a child to 
require care for a comparatively long time than to start 
out in life highly developed? Do you see God's hand in 
this? 

Is It Handicapped? 

Look also at the mind of a little child. Is he born 
with knowledge of the world into which he comes, as the 
codfish seems to be? Even though he may be too weak 
to feed and clothe and care for himself, does he know 
how? If only the accumulated knowledge of his ances- 
tors had descended upon him, so that he might begin where 
they left off! What a pity that his father's learning, as 
well as his property, is not a part of his heritage! Why 
must he begin life inarticulate and ignorant, when the 
wild creatures can speak their language and get their 
own food soon after birth? 

Yet, handicapped as he appears to be at first, he soon 
leaves his animal contemporaries far behind. He has in- 
herited capacities for obtaining knowledge far greater 
than those of any animal. If his knowledge were ready- 
made, would there be a chance for original development? 
It is often said that no two children are alike. How 
about young codfishes? Higher in the animal scale there 

[8] 



THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHILDHOOD 

are greater individual differences, but they are slight com- 
pared with those seen in human beings. Isn't it plain 
that the very ignorance of childhood is an asset, a plan of 
God? 

Its Timidity 

There is an emotional characteristic of little children, 
which is the natural result of their ignorant helplessness. 
The story of a little boy's day will help you to think what 
this is. 

In the morning this little boy comes running in from 
his play. "Bear! naughty big bear!" he cries. His mother 
soothes him and explains that the big dog is not a bear, 
but a delightful playmate. She takes him to walk and 
a stranger pats him on the head, whereupon he hides 
behind her. They attempt to cross the street and he 
draws back as a puffing, snorting automobile rushes past. 
In the afternoon lightning flashes and thunder rolls, 
whereupon he hurries to his protector, in tears at the un- 
usual noise. At night, when the dark blots out all the 
dear, familiar, household things, his mother's lap seems 
the only safe place. 

Is this a natural picture? Not every child is as fearful, 
but this little boy's fears are those typical of childhood. 
Surely this cannot be God's plan, you say, unless he de- 
sires a race of cowards. However, when animals are too 
weak to challenge danger, they flee from it. May not 
the child's fear be a necessary consequence of his igno- 
rant helplessness, tending to self-preservation? Suppose 
the harmless dog had been a bear? Is it safe for a 
child to go to any stranger? Loud noises and swiftly- 
moving objects are often a menace to his welfare; and if 

[9] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

the dark were to him as the daylight, into what dangers 
might he not fall ? 

Certainly we do not wish the little child to be timid 
all his life, but what we are considering now is the im- 
mediate effect of fear upon him. Many psychologists 
call the universal fears of childhood, such as those men- 
tioned above, a heritage of the race, because the 
child needs them for his safety, as did his savage 
ancestors. They do appear to be really from God, even 
though we try to modify or eradicate them in later years. 

Its Lack of Self-Control 

Who that knows children has not grieved over the sight 
of an infuriated little boy lying on the floor screaming 
with rage, or a flushed little girl striking out with her 
fists or even biting some offender! Such manifestations 
bring children close to the level of animals. "The little 
beast!" we exclaim. "The young savage!" 

James Sully says of the child, "That he often shows 
so close a resemblance to the brute suggests how little 
ages of civilized life with the suppression of these furious 
impulses have done to tame down the ancient and care- 
fully transmitted instincts." 

And yet, can you honestly say that it would be better 
for a child never to experience anger? The anger of 
animals results in their self-protection. Is it sometimes 
so with children? Would you admire a child who 
tamely submitted to injury or opposition? Has anger a 
legitimate function in adult life? Did Christ ever show 
anger? Mention instances of passionate outbreaks of 
children and their causes. Should you say that these 
causes were usually selfish or altruistic ? Might the cause 

[10] 



THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHILDHOOD 

determine whether anger is right or wrong? Do you feel 
that there can be any divine plan in this apparently un- 
pleasant characteristic ? 

Its Self -Absorption 

Isn't the child a pretty selfish sort of being? He be- 
gins life crying for food and warmth. At four and five 
he is scarcely capable of any great self-sacrifice. We see the 
same tendency in the animal world, calling it the "Strug- 
gle for Life" and the result the "Survival of the Fittest." 
The instinct for self-preservation, the "will to live," is 
predominant. 

Could life continue without it? The infant whose 
cries did not proclaim his lack of nutriment might starve 
to death. When we think of this aspect of the case, 
selfishness resolves itself into "self-feeling," as this phase 
of childhood has been happily termed, and the possibility 
of eventually attaining the heights of self-sacrifice seems 
none the less because of early childhood's absorption in 
itself, that it may protect and know itself. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. Review "The Meaning of Infancy, by John Fiske. 

2. Give your opinion of "Child Nature and Child Nurture," 
by Edward P. St. John, pages 31-37; or "Children's Ways," by 
James Sully, chapters 7 and 8. 

3. Mention evidences of fear you have observed in children. 

4. Are your views on children's anger influenced by "Child 
Nature and Child Nurture," pages 44-51? 

5. Give your ideas on the necessity or disastrous effect of 
"self-feeling" in children. 

6. State your reasons for considering the characteristics dis- 
cussed divinely planned or matters of chance. 



[1 



LESSON III 

The Significance of Childhood {continued) 

One of the greatest lines of work lies before us: the 
understanding of little children, in order that they may 
be properly trained. — Elizabeth Harrison 

The Natural Way of Growth 

Imagine yourself in a room with a number of little 
children entirely unrestrained. What would you notice 
about them? Is the same thing characteristic of your 
Beginners' circle, before the session ? For how long have 
you seen a little child keep perfectly quiet? Did this 
physical activity begin in babyhood? As you deal with 
children, do you find it annoying? Shouldn't they be 
forced to be quiet? Is this a possibility? Do you see 
any reason for such constant motion? 

I like Drummond's fancy of primitive man sitting in 
the sun, with no desire to do otherwise, till nature by 
moving forces him to action. The sun moves to the west 
and he must move or freeze. The wild creatures' move 
toward him and he is obliged to escape them. His food 
does not fall into his lap ; he must get it. And so through 
this forced activity he grows capable of more diverse 
deeds. He is no longer a mere being sitting in the sun. 
He is a hunter, a builder, a thinking, acting, developing 
man. 

[12] 



THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHILDHOOD 

I like, too, the first picture of Froebel's "Mother Play," 
called "Play with the Limbs." It depicts a mother's in- 
stinctive encouragement of her baby's impulse toward 
activity by pressing against the tiny kicking feet. It 
illustrates, also, in sketches of a whirling mill-wheel, a 
toiling woman and spreading trees, the great principle of 
development through self-activity. 

If stagnation is a sign of death, there are possibilities of 
increased life in a child's activity. That it should be 
guided is as evident as that the fear and anger and self- 
feeling necessary to childhood must be modified as a child 
grows. That the activity of childhood spells future 
power is equally apparent. Thus in an infant's kicks and 
a little child's restlessness we discover the far-seeing plan 
of the Father of all. 

How the World Enters 

Not only is a child's body in almost constant motion, 
but his mind is equally active absorbing the impressions 
that come trooping in through the five avenues that lead 
from the world to himself. 

"As each new life is given to the world, 
The senses — like a door that swings two ways — 
Stand ever 'twixt its inner, waiting self 
And that environment with which its lot 
Awhile is cast. 

A door that swings two ways: 

Inward at first it turns, while Nature speaks, 

Then outward, to set free an answering thought." 

At this age are the senses very impressionable? 
Through what senses does the child gain most knowledge ? 
Is he capable of arranging and coordinating his impres- 

[13] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

sions? Can you see why early quick perceptions are 
necessary to acquaintance with the world? Think of the 
full storehouse the child will have to draw upon in years 
to come! 

A Pleasant Means to Knowledge 

One way in which a child's mental activity shows 
itself you must all have observed. Why does a baby wave 
his hand? Is it a child's natural manner of saying good 
bye? No; he is trying to imitate the motion of his 
mother's hand, that he has often seen waved. Over and 
over again his patient mother says "Mamma" to an ap- 
parently unresponsive listener, til one day he attempts to 
reproduce the word. The dog barks and he calls him a 
"bow-wow," the clock is a "tick-tick," the engine a "choo- 
choo," — these names being mere imitations of the noises 
made. 

He grows older and we see him at his play — prancing 
like a horse, teaching like his school teacher, pounding as 
the carpenter pounds, and marching as the soldier marches. 
Most of these early plays are merely imitating the activ- 
ities about him. 

And is this of any use at all, do you ask? Can God 
wish his children to be mere copyists, only reflections of 
those around them? Ah, but think what a child learns 
through imitation ! He understands the meaning of any- 
thing he acts out. It becomes part of himself. Thus 
language is acquired, thus a child gains skill in the use of 
his hands, and thus, through learning to comprehend the 
life of others, he takes a long step from egoism to "other- 
ism," and the distant future shows us the early manifesta- 

[Hi 




A FEARLESS HORSEMAN 



THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHILDHOOD 

tions of imitation grown into the endeavor to pattern his 
life after the life of Christ. 

A Wondrous Gift 

We need not fear that children will become uninter- 
esting and uniform, for there is one characteristic of 
childhood that saves them from this. Let us take a walk 
with a child I know, and you will understand what I 
mean. We pass a field where corn-stalks are piled up. 
"See the funny old women bowing at each other," she 
says. The next moment she pulls my hand and breaks 
into a run. "Somebody's chasing us," she cries, and we 
hurry away from the imaginary foe. "See my sword!" 
she continues, brandishing my parasol. Then her eyes 
grow dreamy.. "Why, there's a dolly in a red silk dress!" 
she says, pointing to a bush covered with red berries. 
"See her skirts wave! I think she is dancing." 

What is this wonderful, vivifying child-quality, that 
makes a palace out of a hovel and transforms the most 
prosaic surroundings into fairyland? What is the al- 
chemy that changes a child in his own feeling into the 
person or animal he pretends to be? This is a power 
quite distinct from any possessed by animals, for, as James 
Sully sa)^s, "A cat or a dog will be quite ready to go 
through a kind of make-believe game, yet even in the play 
the cat remains the cat, and the dog the dog." 

Surely none but a Gradgrind, to whom fact only is 
truth, can help regarding the imagination as a blessed 
possession, and to whom can we attribute anything so 
marvelous but to a divine power? The fancy of child- 
hood will one day make possible the formation of ideals 
that will be the guiding stars of life. 

[15] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

A Path to God 

There is a certain punctuation mark that well typifies 
the young child. What is it? The interrogation point, 
to be sure. How do you feel about this tendency of chil- 
dren to question? Do you consider it a real nuisance? 
Try to imagine a child who never asks a question. How 
would he learn anything? You may say you would be 
only too delighted to impart information, if you could 
choose your time and manner of doing so, but are you 
quite sure you would never forget to? I firmly believe 
that the children's questions are a necessary prod to even 
the best-intentioned educators. 

The great forces of nature are a constant wonder to 
a child. The sun that kissed his face only this morning is 
fast disappearing. "Who is pulling it down behind the 
hills?" he asks. The rain wets his face. "Where does 
it come from?" he wants to know. The rainbow arches 
the sky. "Who painted it?" he wonders. He searches 
for the cause of the invisible wind. 

"I felt you push, I heard you call, 
I could not see yourself at all ! 
O wind, a-blowing all day long, 
O wind, that sings so loud a song!" 

He gazes in astonishment at the spangled heavens and 
cries, 

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, 
How I wonder what you are!" 

And as his curiosity is plainly a very important means 
to knowledge, so that particular phase of curiosity which 
seeks for a cause behind nature's marvels is as plainly a 
path to God. 

[16] 



THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHILDHOOD 

Appealing Characteristics 

Does a little child challenge your statements, or is he 
inclined to believe them? Isn't credulity a characteristic 
of this age? Would it be easier or harder to teach a 
child, were this not so? Try to picture a skeptical little 
child. This is scarcely thinkable, so accustomed are we to 
the faith of early childhood. Possibly it is this especial trait 
of trust, which leads to teachableness, that Christ alluded 
to when he said, "Except ye turn, and become as little 
children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of 
heaven." 

And this is closely related to another distinctive quality 
of early childhood. Is it difficult to turn a little child's 
attention from one thing to another? Give an instance 
of this which you have witnessed. His suggestibility, as 
well as his credulity, helps to make him teachable, and as 
some one has said, "Teachableness is the condition of all 
growth in the kingdom of science and in the kingdom of 
heaven." 

The Heart of a Child 

The last characteristic of childhood that will be outlined 
is one denied by people who call children "cruel little 
brutes, without real affection." Do you believe that a child 
has natural sympathy and love? How have you seen him 
act when a grown person is suffering? Does he ever 
torture an animal and seem amused at its contortions? 
Yet doesn't he like to be near his friends ? Isn't he affec- 
tionate toward his mother? Doesn't he mourn when she 
leaves him? His moist kisses, his tight hugs, his wish 
to be cuddled — are not these evidences of affection? 
It is true that one person quickly displaces another in 

[17] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

a child's heart, that he may apparently forget an absent 
parent, that he loves those who make him comfortable, 
and fails in sympathy simply because he has no knowledge 
of the suffering he witnesses. But it is also true that this 
evanescent, selfish feeling in the little child is the germ of 
"the greatest thing in the world" — love, the love that, 
beginning as a sporadic affection for whoever ministers 
to his physical needs, will little by little think less of 
benefits received and more of those it can bestow. As 
Drummond says, "The Struggle for the Life of Others is 
the psychological name for the greatest word of ethics — 
Other-ism, Altruism, Love." 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. Report pages 41-46, from "The Unfolding Life," by An- 
toinette A. Lamoreaux. 

2. Make a list of all the early plays of children you can 
recall, and then analyze them to find how many are purely 
imitative. 

3. Analyze again the list of children's plays you have made 
to find how many are imaginative. Discuss chapters on "The 
Realm of Fancy" and "The Enchantment of Play," from 
"Children's Ways," by James Sully. 

4. Read pages 33, 34, 38 and 39, from "The Child and His 
Religion," by George E. Dawson, or pages 44-53, from "Chil- 
dren's Ways," and compare children's questions you have heard. 

5. State your feeling as to whether love and sympathy are 
instinctive in young children. 

6. Name any characteristics not mentioned in these lessons 
which you consider of great significance in childhood. 



[18] 



LESSON IV 

Children as Individuals 

No amount of "child study" will save teacher or mother 
the trouble of studying her own children. — Edward Por- 
ter St. John 

"The Child" and the Individual 

In our second lesson we compared children with 
young codfishes, and gave as one of the advantages of the 
child's helpless infancy his capacity for individual develop- 
ment. We then proceeded to consider characteristics 
common to childhood — the "alikeness" of children — and 
discovered these general traits by picking out the same 
quality as it appears in this, that and the other child of 
our acquaintance. Suppose we now look at the matter 
from the opposite point of view, and, regarding these 
general characteristics as a standard, find out how far 
individuals depart from it. In other words, having with 
painstaking care painted a picture of that hypothetical 
being, "the child," we will compare with it child photo- 
graphs from real life. 

Exaggerated Common Traits 

The most ordinary way in which a child shows indi- 
viduality is in possessing some common trait in an 

[19] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

exaggerated or a limited degree. Let us see how true 
this is. 1 

Is the shy child an anomaly? No; he simply has an 
unusually large amount of the fear common to helpless, 
ignorant childhood. No more is the so-called "bold 
child," over-confident and reckless, a monster, but he 
merely has less than the customary amount of fear. The 
deficient child is abnormally ignorant, and the precocious 
child develops prematurely. There are the same two 
extremes physically — the child who begins life more help- 
less than most infants, and the one who starts out with a 
great degree of strength. 

The passionate child is overcharged, as it were, with 
the impulse of anger, and the spiritless child has scarcely 
enough to enable him to hold his own. There is the 
extremely imaginative child, who dreams dreams, and the 
matter-of-fact child whose vision is more nearly limited to 
things actually seen, although no child, fortunately, 
reaches the dead level of realism possible to adulthood. 

The affectionate child has a strong love impulse, and 
occasionally we come across a child who seems entirely 
unloving. We say of one child, "She is a perfect little 
mimic," when the power of mimicry is highly developed. 
"Do watch me and try to do it just as I do," we beg of 
the child who is somewhat lacking in that regard. 

The nervous child is an illustration of abnormal and 
the phlegmatic child of subnormal activity. The "little 
pig" has so keen a sense of self that there is absolutely 
little else, while the "generous dear" shows evidence of 

^he best method to pursue with a class is to ask the mem- 
bers to mention some particular type of child and trace his 
chief characteristic to one common to childhood, as is done in 
the following paragraphs. 

[20] 



CHILDREN AS INDIVIDUALS 

outgrowing egoism somewhat earlier than most children. 
The destructive child may be the scientist in embryo, 
whose curiosity takes the practical form of trying to find 
out how things are made. On the other hand, the child 
who takes everything for granted and asks few questions 
has not enough of the inquiring tendency which leads to 
knowledge. 

Thus it is intensely interesting to discover what general 
characteristics are prominent and what are inconspicuous 
in the children we know; to see how his salient character- 
istic gives a child a certain individuality; to realize how 
far removed, after all, is each individual child from that 
composite, "the child," which he has helped to form. 

Child Types 

There are, besides, the more strikingly distinctive chil- 
dren, who fascinate or perhaps baffle us, well-versed in 
childhood-as-it-usually-is, by showing us childhood-as-it- 
occasionally-is. 

I have a little girl friend who has always been a verit- 
able coquette, affectionate one moment and unapproach- 
able the next, sometimes courting my favor and again 
quite without cause frowning upon me, and combining the 
coyness of a maiden with the uncompromising frankness 
of a child. Who would exchange "the child" for this 
alluring personality? 

There is the merry child, good-natured and sunny, who 
laughs his way into our hearts, and makes us forget the 
tragedies of this old world and decide that it's a pretty 
jolly place after all. Poor, correct "the child," where 
are you in contrast? 

Then, alas, there is the child who "won't." Won't 

[21] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

what? Never mind what — just won't anything. Do 
you pine then for "the child," and feel you have your fill 
of individuality? Ah, but can the satisfaction of dealing 
with a conventional child equal the joy of being able to 
change the "won't" to "will"? And behind the obstinacy 
lies often a wonderful capacity of loyalty and tenacious 
adherence to principle. 

I once knew a child who surprised me continually by 
his quick perceptions and reasoning powers. He was 
healthy, fond of play and perfectly normal, except that 
he appeared to forget absolutely nothing he had heard, and 
instead of the usual credulity of childhood, reasoned 
things out for himself, formed quite remarkable opinions, 
and asked very thoughtful questions. 

I know a little girl of five, who rarely asks a question 
when she can puzzle out the answer for herself. She 
has carefully mapped out the universe from the data given 
her, and her own explanations of the way things are 
managed are so evidently satisfactory to her, that she 

scorns to ask any one else's views. "How " she will 

begin, and then add immediately, "Oh, I know!" and 
give her own solution. With unfailing confidence every- 
thing is finally referred to God, and all mysteries ex- 
plained by him. 

Another child I know seems incapable of continuous 
attention. Her power of concentration is so limited that 
during a three-minute story she either wriggles and twists, 
plays with her hair ribbon, swings her feet, or tries to 
attract another child's notice. Her chief idea is to get 
the conversation into her own hands, when she will con- 
duct a monologue as long as I will listen, darting from 
one subject to another in the most irrelevant manner. 

[22] 



CHILDREN AS INDIVIDUALS 

There is a child of my acquaintance who has always 
been brimming over with mischief. Her teasing propen- 
sity is enormous, and she frankly declares, "I like to be 
naughty." When she joins a group of children, there is 
certain to be dissension, and yet in spite of this she is popu- 
lar, for she is enthusiastic and inventive in play, and 
though there may be friction, there is never stagnation 
when she is present. 

Certain children, even at a very early age, take the 
initiative among their playmates and are real leaders. 
With this capacity for leadership is usually combined a 
slightly patronizing attitude toward younger children, 
which manifests itself in officious care and imparting in- 
formation gratuitously. The small "boss" will brook no 
interference with his authority, and his petty tyrannies 
are ludicrously like those of an adult leader. 

Accurate Character Reading 

It is very possible to be deceived in the type of child 
from appearances, unless one is a keen reader of child 
nature. A child may meet your most enthusiastic over- 
tures without a particle of demonstration, and display no 
emotion at your pathetic tale. He may remain stolid 
through the songs, and appear to endure rather than enjoy 
representing a tree or a flower. Yet you may hear from 
his parents that he repeats nearly every word you have 
said, and find that his inanimate face is but a mask. 

The child who laughs gleefully when you tell a pathetic 
story is not necessarily imbecile — he is simply amused over 
an unusual expression or gesture, and is thinking of that 
rather than of the tale. The child who bursts into tears 
easily may not be extremely emotional, but nervous from 

[23] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

insufficient nourishment or sleep. The child who appears 
stupid may be merely shy. It does not follow that the 
child who wants to occupy the center of the stage and to 
answer every question and join in every occupation is 
brilliant. We must know them very well indeed — these 
puzzling children — before we clap on our labels. 

After all, as we become really acquainted with the chil- 
dren, we do not regard them as types but as individuals 
— just Jack and Richard, Mary and Frances, with their 
own special combinations of characteristics which, to- 
gether with an intangible something impossible to de- 
scribe, make personality. 

The study of childhood's general characteristics has 
make us more alert to discover peculiar traits, and the 
construction of "the child" has helped us to see the charm 
and fascination of individuality and recognize the re- 
sponsibility of understanding it. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. Name three distinguishing traits of individual children 
that are really only exaggerated general characteristics. 

2. Name three distinguishing traits of individual children 
that are evidence of a smaller degree than customary of cer- 
tain general characteristics. 

3. Describe the particular type of child written about in 
"The Children of the Future," by Nora Archibald Smith, in 
the chapter entitled "A Dumb Devil," or in "An Unwalled 
City," or "Perilous Times." 

4. What sort of behavior in a child may be contrary to his 
reaT character? 

5. Describe a child you consider "difficult" 

6. Write a short sketch of the child that particularly ap- 
peals to you. 



[24] 



LESSON V 

A Little Child's Religion 

Everything in a child's surroundings should be inter- 
preted religiously. — George Ellsworth Dawson 

Where It Is Found 

Exactly what is your conception of religion? Let each 
member of the class give an offhand definition. 1 The 
ordinary use of the term would seem to exclude it from 
children's lives. At first thought a religious child is a 
monstrosity, and to connect religion with a child is like 
dressing him in miniature adult garments. Indeed, the 
religion that is taught children is too frequently of this 
kind — made up of adult thoughts, even though couched 
in child language. How many infant catechisms have 
been composed merely by simplifying words, and how we 
have attempted to reduce profound creeds to their lowest 
terms by modifying their phraseology! 

Let us listen to that fearless disregarder of precedents, 
Friedrich Froebel, who calmly announces: "Education 
and Instruction shall from the very first be passive, ob- 
servant, protective, rather than prescribing, determining, 
interfering. . . . Education is, simply, helping the Divine 
within us to come forth, to act." Can you not see the 
horrified amazement of those educators of his day who 

1 These replies will influence the discussion which will nat- 
urally grow out of them. 

[25] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

were accustomed to use arbitrary methods of forcing 
knowledge into their pupils? Hear again the deliberate 
statement of a mature thinker: "There is nothing so nat- 
ural to the unsophisticated human being as God." Listen 
once more to these words of a modern educator: "Those 
who accept this philosophy" [recognizing the value of the 
natural interests of children] "have always sought in the 
child the germs of religion." 

Do you then think there is such a thing as natural reli- 
gion ? Are we actually to observe and protect the germs of 
religion in a child, and not force upon him a totally 
foreign theology? Men who have studied primitive 
races find them naturally religious. Plutarch says: "I 
have seen people without cities and organized government 
or laws, but people without shrines and deities I have not 
seen." So the little child, of whom primitive man is the 
prototype, early shows instincts that, I believe, are a grop- 
ing after God. Isn't it an instinctive sense of the spiritu- 
ality of the universe that makes him personify trees, 
stones, the rain, his playthings, even the furniture? By 
insistent questions he seeks the cause behind the wonders 
of nature. The idea that there is an invisible as well as 
a visible world seems natural to him. 

Do you think that the observant and passive attitude 
Froebel advocates, protecting the child's instincts and 
answering his natural questions, would give him the 
religion he requires? Some one has said, "I believe a 
child has a native need for a theology, and that if he is 
not given one he will create it." Surely these unmistak- 
able signs of interest indicate a vital longing that should 
be satisfied, and, as surely, we must find the clue to the 
little child's religion in himself. 

[26] 



A LITTLE CHILD'S RELIGION 

How It Gives Satisfaction 

Suppose, then, we regard the little child in the light of 
his characteristics, as we have discovered them, and see 
how they show both his need and his capacity. Consider, 
in the first place, his helplessness. We have agreed that 
it promotes family affection. Does it indicate any need 
besides that of parental care, which religion can supply? 

George Hodges' definition of religion is this: — "Reli- 
gion is human life plus God." Will it induce a feeling 
of confidence in this dependent little child to know of 
One who cares for his parents as well as himself? Will 
it not fill him with a sense of security, similar to that pro- 
duced by the warm grasp of his father's hand and the as- 
surance, "Mother will take care of you?" Finding that 
the answer to his queries as to the cause of things is God, 
he finally regards him as the author of all his blessings. 
His warm coat, his new suit, his good breakfast, his drink 
of water, the fire that warms him, the house he lives in, 
the pretty things that give him pleasure, even his own 
father and mother, without whom life would be incon- 
ceivable, all are gifts of the heavenly Father. 

This is what Louise Seymour Houghton happily calls 
"God-consciousness." This is what Dr. Dawson means 
when he saj^s, "Everything in a child's surroundings 
should be interpreted religiously." This is the natural 
path from the seen to the unseen, from the little child's 
life to the meaning of life. 

That this brings infinite satisfaction, no one doubts 
who has seen the response in a child's face, as this "God- 
consciousness" takes possession of him. It was this that 
inspired my small Scotch laddie to say, in his deliberate 
fashion, as he looked about the Beginners' room one Sun- 

[27] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

day, "Everything in this room — my new coat, your hat, 
the flowers on your table, the chairs, I guess the pictures, 
and the sunshine coming in the window — they all belong 
to God." And a sigh of perfect content followed. 

That this attitude induces love any one will affirm 
who has noticed the tone of a child's voice, as he says 
"Heavenly Father," or seen a small face light up, as did 
the four-year-old girl's, as she told her teacher, "I think 
to myself and I sav to mv mother, 'I wish I could see 
God.' " 

How It Lessens Fear 

Ignorant as well as helpless, and therefore fearful, the 
little child revels in the knowledge that this world is 
not chaos, but that there is a Power behind, ordering and 
planning. The fact that one's mother is in the house gives 
the empty room a sense of being inhabited. The knowledge 
that God's, sun is certain to rise in the morning and that 
his stars keep watch robs the night of its terrors. "I 
woke up once in the night, and I was afraid," a child said. 
"I was going to call my mother, but then I thought, 
'Pooh! heavenly Father's taking care.' And I didn't." 

Gradually increased knowledge will put ignorant fear 
to rout, but for a little child there can be no better first 
step toward quieting his terror than to help him feel what 
he is blindly groping toward — that there is a cause, a 
reason, One all-wise and all-powerful, who orders the 
universe, and plans for the daily needs of little children. 

Gladly would we keep from the little child all knowl- 
edge of death, but it enters our homes, and forces its 
acquaintance upon them. Even this fear, which is more 
universal with little children than many people realize, 

[28] 




"l WOKE UP ONCE IN THE NIGHT, AND I WAS AFRAID" 



A LITTLE CHILD'S RELIGION 

may be turned into glad anticipation by simply confirming 
the child's instinctive belief that life cannot cease, and 
picturing a wondrous "other home," prepared by the same 
loving heavenly Father. The interpretation of death, 
then, is the door of heaven, and I have heard more than 
one child speak in the most natural, joyous way of the 
time "when I go up to heaven." 

How the Child Reaches After It 

The child's wondering curiosity is continually, as we 
have said, pleading for satisfactory answers. Can we do 
less than pay attention to these queries, and let our chil- 
dren see God behind the flower, the tree, the wind that 
blows and the sun that shines? God the Creator as well 
as God the Protector appeals to the little child, and is 
the answer to the class of questions which seek the cause 
of all that is. "God made it"; "It is the heavenly Fa- 
ther's plan" are satisfactory replies, and I have never 
known a child to be distressed when I admitted, "I do 
not know, but God knows." 

It is also natural for children to try to trace all things 
back to their beginning. "Who made the very first 
bird?" they ask. "How did the first teacher who ever 
taught learn anything?" "What set on the first hen's 
egg?" Isn't it significant, this groping for a beginning? 
Shall we deny the child the answer he is seeking? For, 
as Dr. Dawson writes, "Parents and teachers help him 
to name his God, not to discover him." A little girl once 
asked, "When did heavenly Father live?" "Why, of 
course," I answered, "it must have been before the flow- 
ers, because he made them, and before — " "The leaves," 
she continued, "or the trees or the rain." "Or before the 

[29] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

earth even," I said. Then she looked up at me with serious 
eyes. "Was God the beginning?" she said. 

I often think of the incident related to me by a woman 
whose life had held much that was hard. "When I was 
a little girl," she said, "I criticized some of the old- 
fashioned columbines, and said I thought God might have 
made them hold up their heads. My busy mother left 
her baking to take me in her lap and say, impressively, 
'Everything God makes is made in the very best way. 
You will find this true always.' Next day I came in 
with a May basket, the columbines arranged around the 
edge. 'See! they just fit,' I said. 'I'm glad God made 
their heads hang down.' That thoughtful explanation of 
my mother made an impression from which I have never 
recovered." 

What can be more worth our time than to answer our 
children's wondering questions, and so lead them in this 
natural path to God ! 

Of What It Consists 

What conception will the little child form of the in- 
visible God ? Isn't it summed up in the title most appeal- 
ing to childhood — the heavenly Father ? The great prin- 
ciple of learning the unknown through the known lies at 
the base of this idea of God. Care, strength, love, wis- 
dom — all these are personified to the little child in his 
parents, and so God will be to him a great Father, a 
loving Parent. 

Curious are the fancies of children in regard to God, 
but those will be outgrown, and need not be a cause of 
distress. Children cannot understand spirit nor deal in 
abstractions, and if we remember that a child can know 

[30] 



A LITTLE CHILD'S RELIGION 

something of his father, in relation to himself, although 
he cannot appreciate all the qualities that make up his 
personality, we will see that in the same way a little child 
can know something of God, in his relation to himself, 
although he must grow gradually into a fuller knowl- 
edge of his attributes and nature. 

There can hardly be love without communication, 
and a mere child may, wonderful as it seems, speak to 
God. This is what prayer should mean — a simple speak- 
ing to God, as to an earthly father. Any one who has 
observed the prayers of children will marvel at their im- 
plicit faith in his power and goodness and interest in their 
affairs, which leads often to naive accounts of little hap- 
penings. 

Such prayers, with unforced expressions of thanks, or, 
more truly, of gladness for benefits received and simple 
songs of praise constitute the little child's worship — wor- 
ship in its very simplest form, but containing the necessary 
elements of love and reverence. 

And this "God-consciousness," after which he has in- 
stinctively been groping, with its natural response of love 
and trust, constitutes the little child's theology. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. Review "The Child and His Religion," by George E. 
Dawson, chapter on "The Natural Religion of Children." 

2. Give any instances you have known or read of a child 
showing evidences of relief or satisfaction or the lessening of 
fear at the idea of the loving, heavenly Father caring for him. 

3. Give George Hodges' views in "The Training of Chil- 
dren in Religion," pages 18-24, 32-36. 

4. Mention children's questions that you consider worthy 
serious answers. 

5. Write out the ideas about God of children you know. 
Compare them with "Children's Ways," by James Sully, pages 

[31] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

78-84, or "The Training of Children in Religion," by George 
Hodges, pages 40-43. 

6. Compare your own knowledge of children's prayers with 
the chapter on "The Child's Religion," in "As the Twig Is 
Bent," by Susan Chenery. 



[32] 



LESSON VI 

A Little Child's Religion {continued) 

What we make our children love and desire is more 
important than -what zve make them learn. — John Quincy 
Adams 

Religion and life 

In the last lesson I asked you to define religion. To- 
day I want you to tell me, as briefly as possible, what is 
your aim in giving little children religious instruction, and 
just what you hope to accomplish. 1 

As we have already said, certain qualities in the little 
child indicate not alone specific needs, but an instinctive 
groping after One who shall satisfy these needs. The 
question now is, when we have helped the child to find 
God, have we done all that is sufficient? If we succeed 
in leading him to the Father, is that enough? Have we 
"interpreted his surroundings religiously," when we have 
opened his eyes to the vision that lies behind everything, 
and seen to it that he has entered into his heritage and 
knows himself to be a child of God ? 

Are the communication with God which we call 

*If each member of the class tries to express this aim, it 
will help not only to clarify her own thought, but will assist 
the entire class to get a vision of the ideal aim. These state- 
ments will no doubt arouse a discussion quite unlike that sug- 
gested here. 

[33] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

prayer, and the love we term devotion, and the thanks- 
giving we name worship — are even these enough? Give 
me freely your ideas on the subject. I believe a little 
child needs besides the consciousness that he is a child of 
God the desire to act as befits God's child. He should 
love God and also love the good. His worship should 
consist of service, as well as of prayer and praise. To 
"interpret his surroundings religiously" means more than 
to see God behind the material things about him. It 
means also to be Godlike in each daily act. "Whether 
therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to 
the glory of God" is an important part of a little child's 
religion. 

What Are Religious Activities 

Suppose we again consider some of the little child's 
prominent characteristics, and see how they indicate his 
need and capacity for this so-called "practical religion." 

In the first place, what should you say his active nature 
demanded of his religion? One can imagine a hermit or 
a pain-worn saint finding cheer and comfort in a purely 
comtemplative religion. How about an active child? 
Doesn't this very activity necessitate service? Somebody 
has said, "Is it true that there is nothing after disease, 
indigence, and a sense of guilt so fatal to health and to 
life itself as the want of a proper outlet for active facul- 
ties?" Let us guard and guide the natural, God-given 
activity of our children, for in it is the germ of the re- 
ligion of Christ, preeminently the religion of service. 

And service is meant in its very broadest sense. We 
wish our children to feel that life is not divided sharply 
into the secular and the divine, but that it is all one, and 

[34] 



A LITTLE CHILD'S RELIGION 

every act is religious. We shall thus be building up a 
generation of men and women who will consider not 
only attending church a religious duty but attending to 
their diet, and who will feel that service should be ren- 
dered God, not one, but seven days a week. 

To take up this matter very practically, will you discuss 
the following questions: Which have you found more 
effective in controlling children's activities, the command 
"do" or "do not"? What legitimate physical activity in 
the Beginners' Department will prevent annoying activ- 
ity? Do you think Froebel's great principle of learning 
through doing important? Do little children enjoy help- 
ing their mothers? What may be the effect of ignoring 
or refusing their offers of assistance? Can love for God 
be made an incentive for right daily acts? 

Guiding Natural Instincts 

A child's mind is as active as his body. In the last 
lesson we spoke of the danger in leaving serious questions 
unanswered. Suppose we have fulfilled our duty in re- 
gard to our children's curiosity, have we any duty toward 
the instincts of imitation and imagination? As through 
his physical activity he finds the road of service, so through 
his mental activity he gains knowledge, and also, by 
means of imitation and imagination he gets — what? 
Through imitation I think he acquires a sense of other 
people's natures and activities, and through imagination 
he is able to put himself in their places. By fancying 
himself in some as yet unexperienced circumstances, he 
also forms ideals of conduct. 

Recognizing this inherent quality of imitation, shall 
we fight it, or leave it alone, or guide it? Drummond 

[3Sl 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

asks, "Is corn to grow by method and character by ca- 
price?" How would one's attempt to guide children's 
power of imitation influence the sort of things we let 
them see? hear? the stories we tell them? our own 
actions? Will it enter at all into our reason for telling 
them about Jesus? Will their impressionable senses 
make care necessary? 

Can we in a similar way help the imagination to do 
its full work upon our children's characters? How will 
our stories cultivate it? Does imagination help to make 
hardships bearable? What effect do imaginary plays 
have upon our children? I have seen in a tiny 
girl's face the dawn of the maternal feeling, as she 
rocked her doll to sleep; I have seen a little boy knight 
possessing for the time being real knightly qualities; and 
a child cannot enter fully into the impersonation of a 
bird without gaining something in tenderness toward bird 
life. 

Arousing Desire Through Love 

Thus the proper outlet of his activities, both physical 
and mental, gradually lead a child away from absorption 
in himself to interest in and service for others. We 
appreciate that it was an absolute necessity for him to 
begin life with his own physical needs foremost, but 
surely our ultimate ideal for him is the Christ ideal of 
self-sacrifice. 

This very interest in others may lead to manifestations 
of the unrestrained anger we have discussed. But if a 
little boy shows hot resentment at injustice to his brother, 
shall we decry the feeling? And does not the newly 

[36] 



A LITTLE CHILD'S RELIGION 

aroused interest in others coupled with the desire to 
please them lead to obedience and self-control? 

In short, we must consider carefully the child's natural 
characteristics to help him be most completely a child 
of God. And the guiding star to our goal is the little 
child's love. For "What we make our children love 
and desire is more important than what we make them 
learn." 

Just as we present God as a loving Father, who cares 
for little children, and thus induce their love and wish 
to please him, so would we present goodness as something 
altogether desirable, for, though we may otherwise arbi- 
trarily exact certain acts, we have not prepared them to 
face life. Not that we do not expect they must often 
perform hard duties, but I believe there must be the in- 
centive of loving desire to insure a permanent growth 
toward goodness. 

As their little acts of helpfulness lead them into the 
lives of others, sympathy will be aroused, and they will 
begin their first tiny self-sacrifices impelled by the great 
dynamo, love — love of God, and the wish to cooperate 
with him in caring for flowers and birds; love of parents, 
and the desire to please them by carrying out their wishes ; 
love of neighbors, and thus the birth of the missionary 
spirit, which in its essence is helping those in need. 

Nor, in taking account of a child's natural character- 
istics in helping him to live his life religiously, must we 
fail to consider his individuality. Thus one child needs 
much help toward self-control, another toward unselfish- 
ness, a third toward good-temper. We need to make 
obedience seem very desirable to one child and generosity 
to another. 

[37] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

The Result 

In Maeterlinck's remarkable play, "The Bluebird," 
two children go on a quest for happiness, typified by the 
bluebird. After a fruitless search for it in the land of 
memory, the region of the dead, the realm of night, and 
the land of the yet unborn, they finally return to their 
humble cottage, and find, as they lend their pet bird to 
a neighbor's sick child, that it is the bluebird, and to their 
amazed delight discover happiness in their own home. 
They find a new meaning in the fire that warms them, 
the water they drink, the milk, the sugar, the common 
loaf, all of which were personified on their journey. 

If we succeed in interpreting our little children's sur- 
roundings religiously, they will find happiness in their lives 
as they are, and a wonderful meaning in their every-day 
blessings, and as they use these common things in the serv- 
ice of others, they, too, will have captured the bluebird. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. Write a review of "Love and Law in Child Training," 
by Emilie Poulsson, pages 83-89, or "A Study of Child Nature," 
by Elizabeth Harrison, chapter I. 

2. Describe some efficient methods of directing the activities 
of children in Sunday school. 

3. Report "A Study of Child Nature," by Elizabeth Har- 
rison, chapter on ''The Instinct of Imitation." 

4. Explain how certain imaginative plays affect children's 
characters, and how play is used in the kindergarten. 

5. Do you agree with George Hodges, in "The Training 
of Children in Religion," chapter I? 

6. Give your ideas on systematic plans for every-day re- 
ligious activities. See "The Child and His Religion," by 
George E. Dawson, pages 117 and 118. 



[38] 



LESSON VII 

The Little Child's Lessons 

/ fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not 
yet able to bear it. — Paul the Apostle 

The Ideal Curriculum 

"What" is a far easier question to answer than "how." 
Having decided what a little child's religion ought to be, 
the problem is how to be sure that he has it. Shall we 
depend only upon answering his thoughtful questions? 
Most of us find that such questions are asked more often 
in the home than at Sunday school. Can we be sure of 
his parents' helpful answers? Even where there is care- 
ful home training in religion, is there the same advantage 
in little children from many homes meeting together in 
a Beginners' class, that there is in their attending day 
kindergarten ? 

If there is a Beginners' department, it seems safe to 
say that a definite curriculum is necessary, that the teach- 
ing may most effectively meet the children's needs, and 
also that such a curriculum must be elastic enough to be 
adapted to local conditions. 

In deciding upon a course of lessons for little children, 
we should be certain first that it is founded upon sound 
principles. What do you think of a course, frankly in- 
tended to be a study of the Bible? the learning of a cate- 

[39] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

chism that sets forth certain theological doctrines? 
What should be the basis of such a course? It certainly 
should be based upon the child's needs, and aim to give 
him the religion he is instinctively groping after. 

Have little children any sense of time? Does this 
form any objection to a chronological course? Should 
the lessons be concrete or abstract? If the course con- 
sists of stories, and these stories are not arranged chron- 
ologically, should there be any sequence? Should the 
stories be entirely from the Bible; may Bible passages be 
simply the basis for stories, such as nature stories; or do 
you feel that the child's needs occasionally demand a story 
quite outside the Bible? Do you, then, all agree that the 
ideal curriculum for little children is a topical story 
course, based upon a child's needs? 

Examination of Different Courses 

I wonder how many of the class have examined other 
courses of lessons than the one they are using. Have any 
of you attempted to outline a course, embodying the prin- 
ciples you believe in? Both these things are helpful. A 
critical examination of various lesson courses leads one to 
adopt the best, although it may be with modifications, and 
gives one breadth and independence of judgment. The en- 
deavor to outline an original course clarifies one's own 
ideas, and makes criticism of existing courses more dis- 
criminating and the critic better aware of the difficulties 
in the way. 

Among the Beginners' courses worthy consideration are 
the following: Kindergarten Course of Study from "An 
Outline of a Bible-School Curriculum," by George Wil- 
liam Pease; "One Year of Sunday-school Lessons for 

[40] 



THE LITTLE CHILD'S LESSONS 

Young Children," by Florence U. Palmer; "Bible Les- 
sons for Little Beginners," by Margaret J. Cushman 
Haven. It is suggested that the courses themselves be 
first examined, rather than any development of them. 

The International Beginners' Course 

The Beginners' Course of the International Graded 
Lessons is considered here, as one of the latest series of 
lessons for children of four and five years. It is a topical 
story course, covering two years. The second year is 
not advanced in grade over the first, for with such young 
children it is considered unwise to use two sets of lessons, 
as the same thought needs to be carried through the entire 
hour. 

Let us examine first the list of themes taken up, to see 
if they give the little child the right sort of religion. 1 

Themes for the First Year: 

I. The Heavenly Father's Care. 
II. Thanksgiving for Care. 

III. Thanksgiving for God's Best Gift. 

IV. Love Shown Through Care. 
V. The Loving Care of Jesus. 

VI. God's Care of Life. 
VII. Our Part in the Care of Flowers and Birds. 
VIII. Duty of Loving Obedience. 

IX. Love Shown by Prayer and Praise. 
X. Love Shown by Kindness (to Those in the Fam- 
ily Circle). 

*It is suggested that the teacher of the class write the themes 
on the blackboard, those for the two years in opposite columns, 
one theme at a time, so that the sequence can be anticipated or 
another suggested by the members. 

[41] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

XL Love Shown by Kindness (to Those Outside the 
Family). 

Themes for the Second Year: 

I. Our Heavenly Father's Protection. 
II. Thanksgiving for Protection. 

III. Thanksgiving for God's Best Gift. 

IV. Our Heavenly Father's Protection in Nature. 
V. God Helping to Protect. 

VI. Jesus the Helper and Saviour. 
VII. Jesus Teaching to Prav. 
VIII. God's Gift of Life. 

IX. God's Gift of the Wind, Sun and Rain. 
X. Jesus Teaching How to Help. 
XL Children Helping. 
XII. Friendly Helpers. 
Instances of 

i. Individual help. 

2. Interchange of help. 

3. Cooperation in helpfulness. 

Fall and Winter Themes 

The course begins in October, and the first six or seven 
weeks of each year are covered by the subject of the 
heavenly Father's care and protection, approached through 
parental care. Is this something close to the child? 
Froebel says, "This feeling of community, first uniting 
the child with mother, father, brothers and sisters, and 
resting on a higher spiritual unity to which later on is 
added the unmistakable discovery that father, mother, 
brothers, sisters, human beings in general, feel and know 
themselves to be in community and unity with a higher 

[42] 



THE LITTLE CHILD'S LESSONS 

principle — with humanity, with God ... is the very first 
germ of all true religious spirit, of all genuine yearning 
for unhindered unification with the eternal, with God." 

What effect will the consciousness of a protecting and 
care-taking Father have upon a child's fears? his sense of 
helplessness? his wonder? Under this theme are stories 
of parental care and God's care in nature. Do you think 
it increases a child's sense of God's loving-kindness to 
know that he provides for beast and bird and blossom as 
well as for him ? 

At this time the Thanksgiving festival draws near. 
Are Thanksgiving and Christmas of importance in a 
child's year? Will lessons on God's care prepare him 
in any measure for Thanksgiving? What will be his 
natural response to the realization of God's wonderful 
care? What, then, will logically be the next theme? 
Would "Thanksgiving for Care (or Protection)" mean 
that thanks are to be forced from the child? Is this 
possible? Of what does a little child's gratitude consist? 
Might love and gladness be a better term? 

Christmas, another great festival, comes soon after 
Thanksgiving. Do you think it is possible for a little child 
to regard the baby Jesus as a gift of the same Father who 
has given other blessings? Does the topic, "Thanksgiv- 
ing for God's best Gift," seem appropriate for the Christ- 
mas season? 

After this theme comes in the first year, "Love Shown 
through Care," and in the second year the two themes, 
"Our Heavenly Father's Protection" and "God Helping 
to Protect." Here the impression of God's care is 
deepened, and that care in the world of nature particu- 
larly emphasized. The child is given a glimpse of his own 

[43] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

responsibility in giving care, and helped to feel the joy of 
cooperating with God. Do you think that this sense of 
cooperation may give a child a feeling of over-importance, 
or will it be an incentive to helpfulness? 

Lessons about Jesus 

Is it enough to tell the children the Christmas stories, 
and let them know only of the baby Jesus? If you tell 
about the man Jesus, is there danger that they may con- 
fuse him with the Father? Do you care if they do? 
What special phase of Jesus' nature will appeal to them 
and fit in with the general themes of the lessons? Can- 
not Jesus become their ideal of a man who protects and 
cares for others? Do you think that while his power 
and teaching can mean little or nothing to them, his kind- 
ness and love for the small and weak may win their real 
love? I believe that even such little children can truly 
say, "I love Jesus." I believe it is possible for them to 
so catch the Christ spirit from the stories they hear of 
him, that they are really Christians, as far as it lies within 
a child's power to be. 

After these lessons on "The Loving Care of Jesus" 
and "Jesus the Helper and Saviour" comes the third great 
festival — Easter. What should Easter mean to little 
children? Ought they to hear of Christ's death and 
resurrection? What do you think of this as a theme for 
the Easter season — "God's Care of Life," covering the 
awakening of life in nature, and the preservation of life 
not only on earth but in heaven? Would such a theme 
tend to counteract the fear of death many children have, 
or is it better never to refer to death ? 

Spring is a season when the outdoor world is especially 

[44] 



THE LITTLE CHILD'S LESSONS 

appealing to a child. Do you wish your children to see 
the Creator behind the springtime wonders? What na- 
ture subjects are appropriate to this season? The spring 
themes suggested in this course are "God's Gift of the 
Wind, Sun, and Rain," and "Our Part in the Care of 
Flowers and Birds." 

Praying and Doing 

Do you believe children ought to be taught anything 
about prayer, or is it enough simply to teach them to 
pray? Will it help them to become worshipful to hear 
stories of people who pray? Besides stories that bring 
in prayer incidentally, the course has the themes, "Love 
Shown by Prayer and Praise" and "Jesus Teaching to 
Pray." 

This seems to me the logical place in the course for tak- 
ing up as 'topics some of the virtues possible to childhood. 
For why should our children know of God's love, if not 
to help them to be Godlike? The consciousness of a 
world for which God cares, and in which Jesus served, 
should inspire them to do their part. 

What good qualities should you choose to group stories 
about? Is obedience necessary and possible to childhood? 
kindness? helpfulness? You will look in vain in this 
course for missionary themes — that is, studies of mission- 
ary enterprise in other lands. But isn't the essence of 
the missionary spirit the desire to help those weaker and 
more needy? And are not the first steps toward a child's 
interest in people all over the world the interest 
and love for the members of his family and 
neighborhood, shown in little deeds of helpfulness? 
You may be asked by those zealous in the temperance 

[45] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

cause whether temperance teaching can begin too early, 
and you can certainly answer that the foundation of a 
temperate life is self-control learned through obedience. 
Thus each year of this course of lessons ends with the 
endeavor to help little children to be good in their own 
childlike way. 



QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. Name the necessary qualifications for an ideal Beginners' 
course of lessons. 

2. Report on some other Beginners' curriculum than that 
discussed here. 

3. Give your opinion as to whether the themes of the Inter- 
national Beginners' Course give the little child the religion he 
needs. 

4. Consider carefully a group of stories in this course, and 
be ready next week to comment upon their desirability. 1 

5. Make a list of the Bible verses for the children, and tell 
whether you consider them within their comprehension. 

6. Count the stories retold, and state whether they seem 
to you too few or too many. 

1 Prospectuses of the International Beginners' Course, con- 
taining full lesson material, will be sent from the publishers on 
request. 



[46] 



LESSON VIII 

The Value of the Story 

The child's thirst for stories — has it no significance, 
and does it not lay a responsibility upon us? — Walter L. 
Hervey 

Teaching Through the Story 

Obviously lessons for children cannot consist only of 
themes, however necessary of presentation these themes 
may be. Suppose you had only an outline course of 
topics, how would you set to work to teach? 
Would you talk about the subjects — God's Care, Thanks- 
giving, Obedience and the rest? Would you attempt to 
define them? Perhaps you would deliver sermonettes? 
or teach Bible verses clarifying them? Must you have 
some lesson material under these topics, and if so, what 
form would this material naturally take? 

For instance, choose among the following statements 
the one you feel would best introduce the subject of 
obedience. 

Every child ought to obey his father and mother. 

To obey anybody is to do exactly as he says. 

My child, obey your dear parents. 

"Children, obey your parents." 

I have a story to tell you of a baby rabbit that did not 
mind his mother, and what happened. 

[47] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

Why is it that the last method is the most effective? 
I should like each member of the class to give one reason 
why the story is a valuable educational agency for little 
children. 1 

Choosing the Story 

If we are to use stories for the religious education of 
children, what kind shall we choose? Is there any 
requisite source for such stories? any necessary qualifica- 
tions? Certainly they are told because of the truth in 
them — for the sake of the message they convey. 
Must these stories, therefore, be true, in the sense that 
they are the relation of facts? Can you see how truth 
may be conveyed by means of a tale not literally true? 
Do you see a difference between fact and truth? How 
do the parables of Jesus illustrate such a use of stories? 

The stories we select may present the required truth 
and still be inappropriate, unless they are adapted to the 
age of the children. If we like to talk learnedly, we say 
they must be "on the child's plane," which means simply 
— what? That any story, in order to fulfil its mission, 
must be within the child's understanding. It must deal 
either with situations he has experienced or which he is 
capable of imagining. Its message must not only be a 
message suitable for a child, but told in child language 
in a child's way, so that a child will respond. 

Proof of Its Value 

In that word "respond" we find the actual test of the 
value of the story. Exactly what do we mean by the 

1 These answers will determine the succeeding discussion. 

[48] 



THE VALUE OF THE STORY 

child's response? Is ft his absorbed attention? Do you 
regard his bated breath, intense gaze and tense absorption 
a certain proof that the story you have told has value? 
Can you conceive of an absolutely valueless story holding 
the attention? Give a possible instance. 

Is the proof of a story's value to be found in the facility 
with which the child retells it? May he, by any chance, 
remember and reproduce a totally valueless tale? On 
the other hand, does any story perform its function which 
neither arouses interest nor makes an impression that is 
retained? Might a story of unquestionable worth be 
reproduced in a way to show that it had failed to bring 
its message to the child? For example, suppose you told 
a story to illustrate obedience, and the child retold it in 
detail, but very apparently failed to grasp the point, might 
the story be considered a failure ? Would not a retelling, 
with the point well brought out, be a proof that the story 
had delivered its message to the child? 

We must remember, however, that many little children 
have neither the vocabulary nor the confidence to repro- 
duce a story, and so their response cannot be judged in 
this way. Do you find the expressed response common? 
No teacher need feel in the least discouraged at the in- 
frequency of quotable responses from little children, 
whose power of expression is undeveloped, and whose feel- 
ing is more apt to show itself in wondering eyes and facial 
expression than in words. A little child's response may 
more often be felt than heard. Have your children made 
any comments after hearing a story that have led you 
to believe it had reached its mark? A delightful response 
to a story is a child's request for a song embodying his 
feeling and occasionally the suggestion of a prayer. 

[49] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

The Little Child's Response 

Some interesting responses to certain stories are the 
following : — 

A little girl, telling about Jacob's dream, said, in an 
indescribably tender voice, "The heavenly Father said, 
'Don't you be afraid, Jacob; I'm keeping care of you. 
Don't you be afraid; I'm keeping care.' " 

After telling the story, "Jesus Loving Little Children," 
a teacher said, "We cannot put our arms about Jesus' 
neck or feel his hand upon our heads, as those long-ago 
children did, but we can speak to him, and we will now." 
A little girl suggested softly, "We might make believe 
put our arms round his neck while we do." The prayer 
that followed was a very real one. 

A young teacher had finished telling the story of "Jesus 
and the Blind Man." How she told it may be guessed 
from the comment of one of the children, — "I think the 
dogs must have been running around the streets looking 
for Jesus, he was so kind." 

After the story, "Joseph's Coat of Many Colors," as 
the children gathered about the picture, one little boy 
put his arm about his younger brother and said, "I'd 
never, never be so mean to my brother. I never, never 
would." This was a spontaneous response to a negative 
lesson. 

The Analysis of Stories 

For the remainder of the time let us consider some 
particular stories of the International Beginners' Course 
that you have been studying, as to their value in the reli- 
gious education of young children. 

Suppose we begin with the first group of 

[50] 



THE VALUE OF THE STORY 

stories, under the theme, "The Heavenly Father's Care." 
The first story emphasizes parental care, the second 
parental care in nature, the third the great necessity of 
divine care, in order that parental care be possible among 
birds or animals, and the remaining stories bring out the 
important part that the heavenly Father plays in human 
affairs. Exactly what phase of God's care does each one 
of these stories present? 1 

Again, let us take up each story from the standpoint of 
its source. Five out of the seven stories are from the 
Bible, the casual observer would say, and the other two 
are not. It should be noted, however, that these so- 
called nature stories are founded upon Bible verses, and 
serve to make their meaning concrete, and also that the 
child is continually demanding such nature stories by his 
questionings. Discuss your conviction in regard to the 
importance of nature stories, and also your feeling about 
the value of stories from the Bible. 

Let us also take up these stories from the point of view 
of their appropriateness to the child. Test each story in 
these ways: — 

Does it teach a truth that meets a child's religious 
need? State the truth. 

Does it teach this truth simply and directly? 

Does it deal with situations within the child's experi- 
ence? If not, with those he can readily imagine? 

Is there action enough to arouse interest? Is this ac- 
tion involved in too much detail? 

For example, take the story of the baby Moses. What 

*In the "Beginners' Teachers' Text-Book" each theme and 
its illustrating stories are carefully discussed. It is far better, 
however, for the class to form their own opinion before reading 
those discussions, and then frankly compare the two. 

[51] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

truth does it teach? Is this truth necessary for a child's 
highest development? Does it teach this so obviously 
that the child cannot escape it? Might similar experi- 
ences occur in the child's life? Does this prohibit the 
story from the child's imagination? Does it particularly 
matter whether the child knows just what a king is? 
Why has this story always made a special appeal to chil- 
dren. Is it simple? overburdened with detail? full of 
action ?* 

The Charm of the Familiar 

After we have set our standard high, as to the kind of 
stories we should choose for our children, we must not 
fail to recognize the fact that it is the twice-told tale 
which really appeals to a little child. If we give him his 
choice as to what we shall tell him, it will almost inva- 
riably be the familiar tale. "Tell it again," is his highest 
praise. The charm of the well-known and well-beloved 
is so alluring to him that only one very, very far from 
childhood will provide the new to the exclusion of the old. 
This fact will enable us to drop out the least worth while 
among the stories we examine, and bring to him only the 
best, but those over and over and over again. 

For the value of the story lies not alone in its message, 
in its appeal to childhood, or in its ability to touch a re- 
sponsive chord, but also in its power to live through 
repetition, to endure through familiarity. And one who 
offers the fine gift of a story but once does not understand 
the heart of a child, — only she who is eager to enjoy that 
gift with him again and again and yet again. 

*As many other stories may be taken up in like fashion as 
time permits. Such analytical work is extremely helpful. 

[52] 



THE VALUE OF THE STORY 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. State your reasons for believing the story a valuable 
teaching agency for little children. 

2. Do you agree with Edward P. St. John's views, in 
"Stories and Story-Telling," chapter on "The Story-Interests 
of Childhood"? 

3. Name the essential characteristics of a story suitable for 
the religious education of children. 

4. Give a concrete proof of the value of two particular 
stories. 

5. Review "Telling Bible Stories," by Louise Seymour 
Houghton, chapter I, on "The Old Testament and the Child." 

6. Analyze a favorite child's Bible story to find reasons for 
its popularity, and tell how many times it might profitably 
occur in a two-years' course. 



rs3 3 



LESSON IX 

How to Tell a Story 

You must see what you say. — Sara Cone Bryant 

A Story-Teller's Qualifications 

It requires little argument to persuade teachers of the 
value of stories in a child's religious education. Indeed, 
it is delightful to feel that one is privileged to offer such 
fascinating educational material — as alluring as inviting 
children to a feast of sweets. Our teaching is made 
easy because we have outgrown the old notion of draw- 
ing a strict dividing line between the child's need and his 
desire, and are learning to minister to his need through 
his desire. 

However, the appropriate and effective kind of story 
may be decided upon, its style, length and appeal all 
suitable to the child's capacity, and yet the teacher will be 
left with a problem— how to tell it. For a poor story- 
teller may spoil a good story, and, on the other hand, 
"when you make the story your own and tell it, the 
listener gets the story plus your appreciation of it." 

It is very common to hear one who tells stories well 
called a "born story- teller." This is a peculiarly comfort- 
ing appellation to a certain type of person, who insists 
she was not born with this or that talent, when the truth 
is that she was born lazy. Story-telling is, to be sure, 
far easier to those who have a natural aptitude for it, 

[54] 



HOW TO TELL A STORY 

but without time and labor this aptitude will not produce 
a fine story-teller. It is also true that many a teacher 
who feels that for her story-telling is an impossible art 
may become very proficient if she is willing to devote 
herself heartily to the task of learning how. 

There are, however, some indispensible qualifications. 
In the first place, a successful story-teller must know and 
love her audience. For how can you interest children un- 
less you are able to put yourselves in their places, and how 
can you know them unless you possess the only key that 
will unlock their hearts — the key of love? With these 
two qualifications you are equipped to prepare yourselves 
for your audience — an audience, by the way, eager and 
expecting to be pleased, and disappointed if they are not. 

Guides to Story-Telling 

If, then, you have chosen an appropriate story for the 
audience you know and love, how shall you tell it? In 
the first place, as only those who know and love a story 
can tell it. What child will hang on your words, when 
you are uncertain over the outcome? If you cor- 
rect yourselves or hesitate, the children's attention is 
gone, for you have shown that the story is not your own 
possession, and that therefore you cannot make a gift ot 
it. Your own appreciation of your tale is also a necessity, 
if you would gain their N appreciation. 

The suggestions in regard to one's manner of telling 
stories are so many and so diverse as to discourage and 
bewilder a novice. "Never raise your voice; be calm and 
use no gestures," one advises. "Be animated and 
dramatic; act out your story," say another. "Always 
begin with a cheerful smile," pleads a third. 

[55] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

I advise you to cast all these recommendations to the 
winds, and simply be yourselves. For, though a certain 
type of teacher may hold her children without a single 
gesture, with a quiet voice and scarcely changing expres- 
sion, if another teacher, naturally more animated, should 
endeavor to suppress herself, she would meet with a 
total loss of attention and interest. And it may as well 
be acknowledged that the cheerful smile, when planned 
for, is as much scorned by our keen little critics as any 
other affectation. Be yourselves by forgetting yourselves. 
Forget even your children, if you can, in your absorption 
in your story. Then manner, voice, gestures and what 
not will adjust themselves and take their proper places 
as means to an end — that end making the gift of your 
story. 

That it be a worthy gift we have before stipulated, 
which of course means that it must be told in language 
that will not cheapen it — simple but good English. It 
must be tricked out daintily, as a precious gift should be, 
with fascinating repetitions so dear to a child's heart, and 
with the moral pervading it instead of being tacked on in 
unsightly fashion, or wrapped up so that it cannot be read- 
ily found. Amateur story-tellers will win greatest success 
by at first following closely well-constructed and well- 
written stories, before venturing to adapt tales them- 
selves. 

Sara Cone Bryant discovered the secret of the real 
story-teller when she said, "You must see what you say." 
She might have added, "You must feel what you say" 
This is the secret of the preacher, the lecturer, the actor. 
Only as you live in your story can you give it to others. 

This is more possible than the average person imagines. 

[56] 



HOW TO TELL A STORY 

Confronted with a long story, it may seem a well-nigh 
hopeless task to one unskilled. For this reason far less 
discouraging to a beginner than to tell an entire story for 
criticism is to try to make a single incident her own. If 
you can make us see one object, you are obviously capable 
of making us see a series of objects. If you can make us 
experience one emotion, you can arouse within us others. 
So I suggest several little experiments, as first steps in 
story-telling, simply to test you, as to whether you 
can make others see and feel what you say. 

Story-Telling Tests 

I want somebody to describe a tree so that I shall see 
it grow. You have perfect freedom to do so in any way 
you like. The point is to make me see the tree grow. 1 

Describe a giant to me, as if I were a child who 
does not know the meaning of the word. Make me 
realize a giant's tallness and largeness. 

Tell me about an animal, so that I shall have some 
feeling toward it. Make me like it or hate it or fear it. 
If you have no feeling in regard to the animal you de- 
scribe, neither shall I. Unless you can inspire in me some 
feeling toward it, you have not made me see that animal. 

Now, I want you to make me see a boy run down the 
street. Would you use the dramatic method in this in- 

1 This has been done in such a class by a word-picture of 
the gradual growth of an oak from an acorn — the descriptive 
method; by kneeling down to represent a seed in the earth, 
and raising the body gradually, imitating growth, till it is 
erect, the arms stretched out for branches, the fingers fluttering 
leaves — the dramatic method; rapid sketches of trees in various 
stages of growth — the illustrative method. These methods, 
however, should only be suggested as a last resort, the original 
idea of the class being far better. 

[57] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

stance? The illustrative method? How will you do 
it? Yes, you instinctively hurry your words, to give the 
impression of swift motion. How, in a similar way, 
would you tell about a boy walking very, very slowly? 
What could you do to give your listeners a chance to stop, 
mentally, and watch the boy run? Couldn't you say, 
"He ran and he ran and he ran," or "Oh! how fast he 
ran"? 

Who can tell about the blowing of the wind, so that I 
shall feel cold? If you cannot do this by description, see 
if gestures or imitation of the sound of the wind will help. 

Make me hear the rain falling. Describe the falling 
of the rain so that I shall be glad. 1 

Tell about a child eating his dinner. What must you 
do to make this vivid ? Your small listeners want details. 
"A mother brought her child some good food" does not 
give the picture that arises when you say, "A mother 
brought her child a bowl of bread and milk and a red 
apple." 

Can you fill me with the joy of a bird's spring 
song? If you cannot imitate the notes, can you tell me 
how his little throat swells and how he seems to love 
his song? 

Describe a bear so that I shall realize its size. Tell me 
that a lamb called to its mother. Would you say, 
"It called and called" or "It bleated"? How can you 
make the cry more vivid? 

For the next lesson we will continue these tests of our 

1 The rain may be imitated by tapping one's chair or imitat- 
ing through the words, Pitter, Patter. An account of a 
drought and the beneficial results of the rain that followed, 
or of a little boy's delight that he can splash about in his rubber 
boots will illustrate the next point. 

[58] 



HOW TO TELL A STORY 

power, and listen also to some entire stories told by volun- 
teers for our criticism and help. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. What are the essential qualifications of a successful 
story-teller? 

2. Give your ideas about method and manner in story- 
telling. 

3. Make a list of the points in "How to Tell Stories to 
Children," by Sara Cone Bryant, chapter IV. 

4. State in a sentence what is the real secret of story-telling. 

5. Speak of some tests used to make incidents vivid, and 
analyze the methods employed. 

6. Prepare a story to tell before the class for criticism. 



[ 59 1 



LESSON X 

Practise in Story-Telling 

// you fail see ivhy you fail, and then lay the foundation 
for success. Listen to others that know how to do it. 
Catch their points of effectiveness. Above all things, 
practise, practise, practise! — Amos R. Wells 

The Secret of the Art 

Today we continue our practise in story-telling. It is 
an art so fine that we cannot take too great pains to 
perfect ourselves in it. And the reward of our labor is 
satisfactory. It is found in the absorbed attention, the 
wondering eyes, and the happy sighs of the children to 
whom we tell our stories. 

Some of you have come prepared to tell stories for our 
criticism. Before you tell them I want volunteers from 
the class to try more of the simple tests for making pic- 
tures vivid that I suggested last week. For remember, 
"It is not the story in the lesson quarterly that you can 
build into the lives of your child; it is the story in you." 

Marie Shedlock, a story-teller whose power of making 
words live is remarkable, won the following comments 
from a playground audience: 

"Is she a fairy or a lady?" one child asked. "She made 
me see fairies awful plain." 

"I always knew Pandora was a nice story," said another 
child, "but she never seemed like a live girl before." 

[60] 



PRACTISE IN STORY-TELLING 

Another admirer remarked, "I liked 'The Bramin, 
the Jackal and the Tiger' best. Gee! but couldn't you 
see the tiger pace when she was saying the words!" 

"I love 'The Little Tin Soldier,' " said still another. 
"Didn't she make him march fine?" 

So you see how you have the oportunity of giving a 
favorite old tale fresh attractiveness by your manner of 
telling it. 

Making Words Live 

Tell me that a little girl is sick so that I shall be sorry. 
You may do so in a single sentence or more at length. 
Do not try this until you feel just what it means for a 
rosy-cheeked, chubby, play-loving child to surfer. 

Tell me that a mother is tired, so that I shall long to 
help her. Tell me what she has done to get tired, if you 
like, or how the weariness affects her. What you must 
do, if that tired mother is to mean anything to me, is to 
arouse my sympathy. 

Now I will ask for something harder. Describe the 
shining of the sun, so that I shall feel glad. It is easier 
for most people to inspire others with sadness than with 
joy. By words, or drawings, or in any other way you 
can think of, make me glad because God's sun is filling 
the world with light and warmth. 

Who can describe children playing, so that I shall feel 
some of the pleasure they experience? Perhaps you can 
even make me long to play. 

Telling Bible Stories 

Let us turn now to some of the Bible stories. I want 
you to tell parts of these to me, as if I were a child. In 

[61] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

order to tell me even a part of such a story so that I shall 
see and feel it, you must get into touch with the charac- 
ters, so that for you they live, and you must realize the in- 
cidents you relate. 

Think about the story of the flood, and picture to 
yourselves the dreary days spent floating upon a world of 
water. Think what sunshine and the possibility of step- 
ping upon the earth must have meant to Noah and his 
family. Now I want somebody to say, "They came out 
into the fresh, clean, bright, shining world." You need 
not necessarily say these exact words. Turn the sentence 
about, if it is more natural to you, or use other words to 
give the idea — anything to make it your own ex- 
pression. Only somehow you must make me feel what 
Noah felt. 

Think now of Jesus and the nobleman whose son was 
sick. I want you to feel the tender sympathy Jesus felt, 
when he saw the father's worried face, and heard him say, 
"Come down before my child dies!" Tell me that Jesus 
longed to help him, so that I may feel how much, how 
very much, he longed to help. 

I want you to think about Jacob, and how, at night, 
far away from his home, he fell asleep, under the stars, 
with a stone for a pillow. He had supposed himself 
quite alone. I want you to say what God said to him in 
a dream, so that I shall feel all that this profound truth 
would mean to Jacob the rest of his life. I will write 
the words on the board, — "I am with thee. I will not 
leave thee." 

Picture the disciples fishing in vain that night on the 
sea. Tell me how they threw their nets over into the 
water and pulled them in empty, again and again and yet 

[6 2 ] 



PRACTISE IN STORY-TELLING 

again. Would gesture be appropriate here? I have 
known children to go through the motions spontaneously, 
when retelling the story. How would you show that the 
nets were at last full of fishes? 

Now think of Mary, of her sweet modesty, her purity, 
her goodness. Express the wonder she must have felt at 
the promise that she should be the mother of the Saviour. 
"To think that this wonderful thing should happen to 
me!" 1 

Telling Stories for Criticism 

Is it necessary, in order to get the best results from a 
story, to create a good atmosphere before telling it ? Are 
such devices as these useful — to listen to find out whether 
the clock is ticking; to go to sleep and wake up when I 
say, "Once upon a time" ; a few soft chords on the piano ? 

We will now hear the stories that you have prepared. 
We will all listen without interruption, and give you our 
undivided attention. At the close we will criticize each 
story in the following ways. 2 

1. Is it a story worth telling? 

2. What is its message? 

3. Is this truth well brought out? 

4. Is the story simple? 

5. Is it within the children's comprehension? 

6. Was it told as if it were well liked? 

7. Was it perfectly known by the teller? 

1 Further illustrations may be used, if there is time. 

2 Even severe criticism need not be discouraging, if the good 
as well as the bad points are noted, and if it is made for the 
sake of improvement, and is not merely destructive. 

[63] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

8. What were the good points in the telling? 

9. What were the bad points? 
10. Discuss both. 

Will anybody tell us one of the stories already told, 
or another, as if we were children who know little 
English ? How will this influence your choice of words ? 
your method? Shall you be more dramatic? May a 
gesture sometimes explain a word? 

Next week I want you to come prepared to tell Bible 
or nature stories, such as one would use in Sunday school. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

1. Suggest some original tests for making words live. 

2. Suggest parts of Bible stories for practise in vivid story- 
telling. 

3. By what means can a good atmosphere for story-telling 
be created? 

4. Write out what you consider your own strong and weak 
points as a story-teller. 

5. How many opportunities have you had this week to tell 
stories to children? Might you have made more? 

6. Prepare a Bible or nature story to tell next week for 
criticism. 



[64] 



LESSON XI 

Building the Program — The Story Period 

Let all things be done decently and in order. — Paul 
the Apostle 

One Essential 

Is a program necessary, if we are to make the best use 
of our Sunday-school hour, or will it curb the child's 
liberty too much and destroy spontaneous sequence of 
thought? Will it, on the other hand, tend to give em- 
phasis to the most important things? If we are to have 
a program, must it be elastic? Certainly otherwise it 
will be a hindrance rather than a help. 

I want you to put out of you minds any preconceived 
ideas you may have of the program for a Beginners' ses- 
sion, so that we may discuss it in a fresh and unpreju- 
diced fashion. Even in such a mechanical matter as the 
program, let us keep close to the little child's needs. 
These needs should determine the program, instead of 
the program being adapted to the child's needs. 

We have already decided upon certain religious truths 
that are necessary to little children. We are convinced 
that the only way of bringing these truths before them 
with any certainty is to arrange them in logical sequence, 
and to illustrate them with suitable story material, thus 
forming a curriculum. This, of course, means that each 

[6s ] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

Sunday there is a certain theme to be impressed through 
a new story or a group of old stories. There must, then, 
be a place reserved in the program for — what? Ob- 
viously, for telling the story. Let us write that down as a 
very necessary part of our program. 

Before the Story 

Will telling the story mean only that? May it occa- 
sionally be necessary to explain some words or references 
in the story before telling it, so that it need not be inter- 
rupted? Can you think of a possible instance? 

Suppose your story is about sheep, and you know that 
some of your children have never seen a sheep, either pic- 
tured or in real life. Will you begin your story, and, 
when the time comes for the sheep to enter, forsake the 
role of story-teller for that of instructor, and let your 
characters defer action while you explain what manner 
of animal a sheep is? 

Ought large words to be made clear beforehand? 
Why not ? Might anything else be done before the story, 
to make it more effective? Is it important that anticipa- 
tion be aroused? Is it usually sufficient to announce 
that you will tell a story? Is the attention attracted by 
the words, "Once upon a time," or "Long, long ago"? 
Suppose you have a new story about a favorite character, 
such as David. Will it add any to the interest to say, 
"I will tell you another story about David"? Will it 
be likely to arouse interest in the children to hear that you 
are to tell them about the baby Moses when he was 
grown up, or about the little Lord Jesus after he had be- 
come a man? 

The stories are told to illustrate certain truths, and 

[66] 



THE STORY PERIOD 

they have failed of their purpose if these truths are not 
made very plain. Will a child be any more apt to see 
a truth in a story if, before hearing it, he has talked a 
little about that truth? For instance, if the story is told 
to illustrate obedience, the children's ideas on obedience 
may be drawn out before it is told. If the thought to be 
emphasized is children's helpfulness, a few questions may 
be asked about the ways in which the children help at 
home. Suggest possible approaches of this sort to some 
of the stories we use in Sunday school. Do you care to 
discuss the efficiency of the method? 

Let us remember this — that each story should be judged 
as a unit, and its special treatment decided upon. We 
are far too liable to become stereotyped and mechanical 
and to overwork any method, no matter how good. 

After the Story 

What can we do after the story that will intensify its 
message? For this is our great need. Will this be ac- 
complished if the children retell it directly after listen- 
ing to it? If they express the ideas received by means 
of some simple hand-work? If the teacher reiterates the 
truth, applying it to the child's life, urging him to 
obedience, helpfulness or what not? 

It seems to me that the immediate and necessarily crude 
retelling of the story by the children, whether through 
lips or fingers, takes away from the impression we make, 
and we must never forget that our teaching is "not for 
imparting facts but for the culture of feeling." The 
process so aptly called "rubbing it in" we all know from 
experience defeats its aim. 

What, then, remains — simply dismissal? Is there any 

[6 7 ] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

beautiful expression of the story's truth that might be 
made at this time? How about the repetition of a 
Bible verse? a song? a prayer? May the children be al- 
lowed the opportunity to make natural responses? Will 
the examination of the story picture interfere with or 
stimulate this free expression? 

Let us write down, as a very necessary part of our pro- 
gram, The Story Period, dividing it into a possible 
Approach, the Story Proper, and the brief space follow- 
ing, which may be termed After the Story. 

How long do you think one can possibly hold the 
attention of a Beginners' class for a story? What is the 
shortest length of time necessary for telling a story? 
Calling eight minutes the longest time that one will at- 
tempt to hold the children's attention, and three minutes 
the shortest length of time required for a tale, allowing 
for a possible approach and a few moments for strength- 
ening the feeling at the close, is not fifteen minutes a fair 
length for the story period? And we have agreed that 
this should come at the end of the hour. 

The Children's Part 

Now have we, in these fifteen minutes, given all the 
time necessary to the story? Have we three-quarters of 
an hour left for the rest of the program — for prayer, song, 
Bible verse, and the other parts we consider essential? 
Will fifteen minutes a Sunday adequately "do" the story, 
so that it need never be mentioned again? Visit the 
nursery and see how it is there. Is one recital of "The 
Three Bears" enough? two? three? Do the children 
ever tell it or join in the telling? Do they refer to 
the story? act it out? 

[68] 



THE STORY PERIOD 

Certainly we want the stories we tell in Sunday school 
to be as well-beloved as nursery tales. We have sug- 
gested that some stories occur more than once in the 
course, and that occasionally there be a choice 
among several old tales. We must also give the children 
an opportunity to talk about the stories, to tell them to 
us, to think of the characters as real friends, to refer to 
the incidents as well-known events. 

We have already decided that we cannot wisely request 
them to retell the story directly after we have told it. 
We shall, then, have to reserve a place for this review 
somewhere before the story period of the following week. 
Let us consider exactly what we are going to do with 
the old story. Shall we look upon it in the light of a 
lesson to be perfectly recited? If we do, we shall be 
sadly disappointed, for at four and five the vocabulary 
is limited, and the power of continuous expression usually 
small, although now and then a child is able to tell an 
entire story alone. We can expect at best disjointed 
sentences. The whole plot of the story may be condensed 
by a child in a few words. 

What we want is vivid interest in the old story. Is 
a good way of securing this interest to ask, "What was 
our last story about?" Does it make a happier beginning 
to say, "Whom was our last story about?" The names of 
Bible characters are often unusual and dimcult for chil- 
dren to remember. Might a child have an excellent knowl- 
edge of the story and yet not be able to pronounce the 
hero's name? Tell me some ways of introducing the re- 
view story that will insure interest. Showing the picture 
will awaken memories of the story in nearly every child. 
Another very popular method is to begin the story exactly 

[6 9 ] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

as you did at the first telling, and stop every now and 
then for the children to go on. They will take the sen- 
tences out of your mouth. Sometimes there will be a 
chorus of little voices. The interest will be even 
more intense than that at the first hearing. 

Would you ever act out a story in Sunday school ? Do 
you think the possibility of doing so depends largely upon 
the kind of story? Would you care to act out an episode 
in Christ's life? On the other hand, would such a story 
as "Ruth in the Barley Field" lend itself very readily to 
this method of reproduction? 

Do you ever hear of your children spontaneously acting 
out their Sunday-school stories at home? The story of 
baby Moses was played in one home, the clothes-basket 
being pressed into service. A minister's small daughter 
was so impressed by the story of the good Samaritan that 
she insisted upon playing it at home again and again, the 
father nobly consenting to take the part of the donkey! 
A mother hastened to the nursery at the sound of cries, 
and found her little son pummeling his baby sister. "She 
is the lion that's getting my lamb; I'm David," he ex- 
plained. When the mother suggested that the sister fig- 
ure as the lamb and a chair represent the lion, the boy- 
was perfectly content, his only wish being to make real 
his favorite story. These instances simply illustrate the 
natural tendency of children to dramatize a story that 
has taken hold of them. 

The conclusion of the whole matter is this — that if 
the story is to effectively bring its message to the child, 
it must not only be told vividly, but approached wisely, 
followed up sympathetically, and reviewed in a way that 
will heighten the interest. 

[70] 



THE STORY PERIOD 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. Give your reasons for and against making a program, 
and indicate the characteristics of a program which will not 
hinder spontaneity. 

2. Choose three stories used in the International Beginners' 
Course, and give what you consider poor methods of approach 
to these stories. 

3. Give your ideas as to wise methods of approach to these 
same stories. 

4. Write out ways of filling the few moments following 
these stories that you think tend to detract from the effect pro- 
duced. 

5. Suggest effective ways of filling this time. 

6. Give general plans for the interesting review of stories, 
and mention those you believe most applicable to the three 
stories already considered. 



[71] 



LESSON XII 

Building the Program — The Circle Talk 

Self-expression is at once the motive and the method 
of all culture. — Milton S. Lit tie field 

What It Is 

Did you ever witness,, or better, participate in a public 
kindergarten "morning talk"? Of what does it consist? 
Give me your impression of this part of the kindergarten 
program. Do you think something similar fills a 
need in the Sunday-school hour? It certainly seems im- 
portant that we set apart a period for the free interchange 
of thought, when the children may have an opportunity 
to express themselves spontaneously and informally. 

However, in spite of the importance of the children's 
free self-expression, isn't there also an opportunity, in- 
deed, a necessity for instruction on the part of the teacher ? 
Surely the educational ideal is a happy combination of 
self-expression and instruction. This instruction means 
something entirely foreign to a laborious impartation of 
facts or a dry drill on words. It means assisting, building 
upon and interpreting the child's spontaneous self-expres- 
sion. Froebel meant this when he made the revolu- 
tionary statement, noted in a previous lesson, — "Educa- 
tion and instruction should from the very first be passive, 
observant, protective, rather than prescribing, determin- 

[72] 



THE CIRCLE TALK 

ing, interfering." Madame Montessori, the modern 
Italian educator, has this original conception of a teacher — 
that she is not the dictator but the observer, not the leader 
but the follower. She must be trained to note sympa- 
thetically the children's spontaneous acts, not to interfere 
unless these are injurious to others, but to be always on 
the alert to suggest and assist in carrying out ideas. 

This ideal, somewhat modified, should be maintained in 
the circle talk. Questions are to be answered, remarks 
commented upon and related to the theme under consid- 
eration, activities not forbidden but regulated, new knowl- 
edge made merely the outgrowth of old. So shall we be 
developing rather than forcing our children. 

Story and Song 

Suppose we consider the component parts of the circle 
talk, and place them under the two headings Instruction 
and Self-Expression. 1 

Now that we have a good number of possibilities for 
our circle talk, we must consider whether our placing has 
been wise. The review of the last story is properly 
placed under Self-Expression, as the child's relation of it is 
obviously that. The only opportunity for instruction is 
when a wrong idea has been gained by the child, as in the 
case of a little girl for whom the ingredients of Elijah's 
cake were meal and kerosene, or the child who insisted 
that Moses was hidden by his mother "in a clothes-press." 

As to songs, of course there must be instruction, if the 

1 These parts should be mentioned by the class and placed 
in the columns in which they decide they belong. Discussion 
may cause them to be placed in both columns or transferred 
from one to the other. The above discussion is of course 
merely suggestive. 

[73] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

child is to be able to sing them at all. A song cannot be 
developed from his inner consciousness. It is something 
to be learned and so requires teaching. However, isn't 
the ultimate function of a song self-expression? And 
whether it can ever become self-expression depends largely 
upon the manner in which it is taught. Suppose we illus- 
trate by three methods of teaching Stevenson's classic 
couplet — a verse ideally suited to little children, both in 
thought and expression. 

"The world is so full of a number of things, 
I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings." 

The first method proceeds something as follows : 

"Now, children, we are to learn a new song, and I 
want you to pay attention. You must learn to sing it 
well, so that when your fathers and mothers come to 
visit, I shall not be ashamed of you. Listen and say the 
words after me. 

" 'The world is so full of a number of things.' 

"The little boys may say it alone — the little girls — the 
five-year-old-children — the four-year-old-children — all to- 
gether. I will say the second line very, very plainly. 
You may try it — again — again. Now both lines. You 
know the words pretty well, so I will teach you the tune." 
After which the children are drilled on the music in like 
fashion. 

This may be termed the drill method. The children 
are trained to perform. Would it be possible for a 
song learned in this way to become self-expression ? 

A second method, the explanatory, is largely a reaction 
from the first. In an attempt to avoid thoughtless drill 
the teacher starts out with the determination to leave 
no word meaningless, and thus the song is taught: 

[74] 



THE CIRCLE TALK 

"Dear children, do you know what the world is? It is 
the round ball upon which we live. The world is full 
of all sorts of things for us. Did you ever drink from a 
glass that had only a few drops of water in it? That 
glass was not full. When the water reaches up to the 
very brim, the glass is full. Now the world is full — like 
the full glass of water — of a number of things — not one 
or two or three things, but a number." Thus the teacher 
drones on, laboriously endeavoring to make clear the sim- 
ple verse, trying to define happiness, as she teaches the 
second line, and to give a clear picture of a king. We 
might term this conscientious discursiveness. 

In a third method the teacher escapes both Scylla and 
Charybdis by avoiding undue drill and wearisome ex- 
planation. This may be called the inspiring method, and 
is certainly the one that will lead to self-expression. 

"Let's think of all the things in the world that make 
us happy," she begins; "bread and milk and apples and 
warm coats and nice houses and — " letting the children 
go on in detail, which is a child's delight. Then she says, 
quite naturally, — 

" 'The world is so full of a number of things, 
I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings.' 

'Til sing about it, and while I sing, you may think of 
all those things you told me about that the world is full 
of to make you happy. 

"I felt as happy as a king when I sang. Did I look so? 
Sing it with me, and I shall know from your faces if you 
are really and truly happy." 

The simple words are easily caught, and the simple tune 
has perhaps been made familiar for a Sunday or two, but 
the main point is that the spirit of the song has been in- 

[75] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

fused into the children, so that it becomes an expression of 
gladness, and connects itself naturally with their gifts, 
with joyous events in their lives, with the pictures and 
stories in Sunday school that tell of the loving care of the 
heavenly Father. It will hereafter be suggested at ap- 
propriate times by the children, not only in Sunday school 
but at home. 

For instance, one child of three, who saw for the first 
time a picture of a child sitting in the midst of an array 
of toys said, "Let's sing the song that belongs to it." 

"But there is no song. This is a new picture," insisted 
a dense grown-up. 

"Oh, yes, there is, — 'The world is so full.' " 

This is merely illustrative of the spirit in which a song 
may be sympathetically taught. Less simple words need, 
of course, some repetition, and totally foreign expressions 
a slight explanation, but the method of instruction, to- 
gether with the appropriate use, determines the possibility 
of a song's real function — worship and praise and the nat- 
ural expression of thought and feeling. 

Bible Verses 

Let us take up next the learning of Bible verses. They, 
too, must be taught, but there is a world-wide difference 
between their use as recitation and as expression of 
thought. Again, the inadequate teacher demands the per- 
fect recital of last Sunday's Bible verse, and praise follows 
upon glibness, while the failure to have the words on the 
ends of unaccustomed tongues wins disapproval. "Didn't 
mother teach it to you? You are the only boy who 
cannot say his verse !" the teacher remarks, and the folders 
are given out with the stern injunction to learn the 

[76] 



THE CIRCLE TALK 

verse thereon, the words of which are distinctly and 
slowly read. 

Suppose we watch our sympathetic teacher and see how 
she treats the Bible verses. She has finished the story of 
the cruel behavior of Joseph's brothers. " 'Let us love one 
another, ' " she says softly. The following Sunday there is 
a little conversation about the children's family relation- 
ships. "Shall we say the little Bible verse that tells 
how to keep a home happy?" she asks. "'Let us love 
one another.' " Then a finger family song is sung, and 
quite naturally the verse again repeated — "Let us love 
one another." 

Or when the story is about God's care for birds and 
animals, the teacher weaves in most naturally the verse, 
"Your heavenly Father feedeth them." And what could 
be more satisfactory on the following Sunday than for a 
child to touch the picture of squirrels caressingly and say, 
"Your heavenly Father feedeth them." 

Compare a recitation of the verse, "Be ye kind one to 
another," and a use of it in connection with pictures of 
kind people, or those who have failed in kindness. Does 
it call forth such a vivid sense of God's care to merely 
recite for approbation the words, "He careth for you," as 
for each child to say the verse, adding another child's 
name and thus making it personal? 

Some teachers, whose vision is not greater than a per- 
fect recitation, drill on prayer verses and let the children 
compete as to who can say them best, while instead they 
might in them find a means to worship. For it is very 
real worship when a child, after speaking of daytime joys 
and the night when God's stars keep watch, bows his 
head and says, " 'The day is thine, the night also is thine/ ,! 

[77] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

It is neither asking nor giving thanks, but nevertheless 
an expression of gladness and wonder at God's power, 
when after recounting winter joys or summer beauties a 
child prays, rather than says, " 'Thou hast made sum- 
mer and winter.' " 

Can you add instances of Bible verses used in such nat- 
ural ways? What is your conclusion in regard to their 
function ? 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. Explain what is meant by the "circle talk." 

2. Give your reasons for considering it important. 

3. How are both self-expression and instruction a necessary 
part of a child's education? 

4. Give an instance of the formal teaching of a song. 

5. Prepare to teach a song in a way that will induce self- 
expression. 

6. Describe the sympathetic and unsympathetic use of Bible 
verses. 



[78] 



LESSON XIII 

Building the Program — The Circle Talk 
(continued) 

With language begins Expression and Representation 
of the inner Being of Man. — Friedrich Froebel 

The Ideal Atmosphere 

We prate much of the advantage of the right atmos- 
phere during the circle talk, and in my opinion try to cap- 
ture this desirable condition in exactly the wrong way. 

Have you ever seen a teacher endeavoring to force an 
atmosphere artificially? Was the effect wholesome? 
Isn't it on the same principle as setting out to influence 
others? He who most effectually casts the spell of his 
individuality over his fellowmen is he who is uncon- 
sciously noble, spontaneously helpful. So it is the teach- 
er's spirit that creates the atmosphere — her forgetfulness 
of self in her interest in the children ; her susceptibility to 
their feelings; her own longing for worship; her absorp- 
tion in the theme of the day; her enthusiasm in the sub- 
jects discussed. Without decrying in the least such 
assistance as music and beautiful surroundings and the 
informal arrangement of the circle, after all, it is the 
soul of the teacher that induces the ideal atmosphere. 

[79] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

The Child's Worship 

We have already spoken of two important elements of 
the circle talk — song and Bible verse, and decided that 
they should be placed under both the headings Instruction 
and Self-Expression. Let us take up next the subject 
of prayer — a very necessary part of the circle talk. 

Supposing that we as teachers are in tune both with our 
heavenly Father and his little children, and keenly alive 
to the privilege — you note I say privilege rather than duty 
— of communicating with him, how is true prayer to be 
induced? Must it, to be sincere, be wholly spontaneous, 
the words the choice of the moment, the chance expression 
of an immediate thought? 

Surely there is a wonderful reality in these little, spon- 
taneous prayers, when we name over the things for which 
we are glad — the new suit, our food, or rather, apples, 
bread, cereal, ice-cream, and the specialized list which a 
little child must always give, the flowers we have brought 
to Sunday school, the sunshine coming through the win- 
dow — and say or sing "Thank you." Sometimes we do 
not go so far as to express gratitude but simply say, "We 
are glad." Often the prayer is one asking for help, or, 
when our thoughts are turned to kindness, we stop to 
say, "Please help us always to be kind to our sisters and 
brothers." If the theme is obedience, we ask to be made 
strong to mind, no matter if we don't want to; if help- 
fulness, we tell the heavenly Father that we shall try 
never to forget to help care for the birds and our pets. 

Such spontaneous prayers are the finest kind of self- 
expression, and the informality of the Beginners' circle, 
together with the teacher's spirit, induces the atmosphere 
that makes them not only possible but necessary. 

[80] 



THE CIRCLE TALK 

What influence do you believe such worship will have upon 
the child's prayers as he grows older? Will it be easy 
and natural for him to speak to God from the heart any- 
where and at any time? Will this habit of communing 
with him so cling that, like Enoch, our children will all 
their lives "walk with God"? 

And yet there are more formal prayers which, like 
songs, must be learned, which the unsympathetic teacher 
may reduce to mere forms, and which, on the other hand, 
may serve as a delightful and childlike medium of wor- 
ship. We have spoken of Bible prayer- verses and there 
are also prayer -songs and prayer-poems. These require 
instruction, but of that sort which will lead to self- 
expression. 

A three-year-old child, who was away from home with 
her parents for several weeks, said on her return, "Every 
morning I sang, 

" 'Father, we thank thee for the night, 
And for the pleasant morning light* 

"I'd lie in my crib and sing it all by myself." 

Wasn't that charming self-expression? "Jesus, Ten- 
der Shepherd, Hear Me" becomes a beloved evening 
prayer, and both in Sunday school and at home children 
sympathetically taught such prayers will suggest their use. 

There is still another phase of worship which can 
scarcely be tabulated, and yet which is perhaps the 
truest worship of a little child. It is his wonder. Carlyle 
has said, "Worship is transcendent wonder." 

An Easter lily stood in the circle one Easter Sunday. 
On the blackboard was the drawing of a church bell, and 
on the wall a picture of a church spire in which hung a 
bell. 

[81] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

"Find me an Easter bell," said the teacher, whose plan 
was to introduce the thought of the day by speaking of 
the Easter bells that call people to church. 

A small boy, with never a glance at drawing or picture, 
stepped eagerly to the plant, and touched almost rever- 
ently one of the white lilies. "God's Easter bell," he 
said. 

And then, in groups of two or three the children went 
up to the lily, caressing its fair petals, inhaling its fra- 
grance, and — wondering. There was during those mo- 
ments worship, though no audible prayer. For what 
could be truer worship than the raising of the children's 
hearts in loving wonder to the Creator of beauty! 

When your children bring you the flower, the dainty 
sea-shell, the marvelous bird's-nest, the painted autumn 
leaf, do you thank them and say, "How pretty!" possibly 
murmuring something about God who made them, or 
do you stop a while and wonder? When from your 
window you see the leaves dance and the boughs wave, 
mysteriously, magically, do you talk glibly of the wind, 
or do you stop talking entirely for an instant, and just 
wonder? When your thoughts have been turned to the 
night-time, and the children have told tales of the starry 
heavens, do you make use as worship of that child wonder- 
verse — 

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, 

How I wonder what you are, 

Up above the world so high, 

Like a diamond in the sky!" 

When your children, to those prayers that are spoken 
and sung, both spontaneous and formal, have added the 
worship of wonder, then have they truly communicated 
with their heavenly Father. 

[82] 



THE CIRCLE TALK 

Expression through the Hand 

Again, take the matter of hand-work — if such little 
children's crude drawing or coloring can be dignified by 
such a term. Has this any legitimate function in Sunday 
school if it is not self-expression? Are we teaching our 
children here to be artists or craftsmen of any sort? Is 
there the time for this? the need? 

The reason a teacher who understands little children 
occasionally suggests a use of crayon and blackboard or 
paper is not alone to vary monotony and thus reawaken 
interest, but to afford ringers the opportunity of which 
lips often are incapable. For self-expression is such a 
necessary part of a child's development, and the vocabu- 
lary is so limited and words so difficult for shy lips to 
form that the problem is frequently solved by hand-work. 
The blue blur is the flower which makes the child glad, 
the straight mark the stick which David used to protect 
his sheep, the tiny dots the crumbs with which the child 
fed the birds, the yellow crosses God's stars that keep 
watch when a child sleeps, the green marks God's carpet 
for the earth, on which his beasts feed. 

By no means put this part of the circle talk under the 
heading Instruction, or show approbation or disap- 
proval of the little child's manner of expressing his 
thought, but lay your emphasis upon the thought ex- 
pressed. 

The Use of Pictures 

We may test the efficacy of our methods in a similar 
way by our use of pictures. They are often necessary 
as instruction, for giving a clear mental picture of sheep, 
of birds, of trees, and of story incidents. They should 

[8 3 ] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

also be made so interesting and so full of meaning that 
they may be a delightful aid to the little child's power of 
expressing himself. 

"Find all the pictures of kind people," says the teacher, 
and the children show what impression of kindness they 
have received by touching the good shepherd, the good 
Samaritan, and possibly the mother in the Sistine Ma- 
donna. 

"Touch pictures of creatures and things the heavenly 
Father takes care of," she suggests again, and the children 
pick out animal and bird and flower pictures, and even 
discover these things as details of Bible story pictures. 

"I wonder who can find me a picture about the verse 
'Let us love one another,' " she asks, and the pictures 
illustrating helpful love are chosen. 

The crux of the whole matter is this — to develop not 
inform, to draw out not pour in, and thus give to the 
child his opportunity to grow naturally. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. What do you mean by "atmosphere" and how is it 
obtained? 

2. Write out your ideal of a little child's worship. 

3. Give some illustration of spontaneous prayer on the chil- 
dren's part and of a prayer so taught as to be real self-expression. 

4. Illustrate how hand-work has a legitimate place in the 
Sunday school. 

5. How may pictures be an aid to self-expression? 

6. Discuss similarly any other element of the circle talk you 
may have in mind. 



[84] 



LESSON XIV 

Practise in Conducting the Circle Talk 

They found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of 
the teachers, both hearing them, and asking them ques- 
tions. — The Gospel according to Luke 

Its Possibilities 

A teacher of Beginners once said, "It is the circle talk 
that I find difficult. When I get to the story, I feel so 
safe." 

Why was this? Simply because during the story- 
telling the teacher has the floor and can discourage 
interruptions. In the circle talk, on the other hand, 
the children's chance remarks, their comments and 
questions are not looked upon at all in the light of inter- 
ruptions. Indeed, they are a definite part of the program, 
and the failure of a teacher to induce such confidences 
from her class is as great as to tell the story poorly, or to 
conduct a session destitute of worship. 

To meet such remarks wisely and effectively is not easy. 
One may definitely prepare the story, but, except in its 
general trend, the circle talk must ever be an unknown 
quantity. What staggering questions will our children 
ask? What frank bits of news from their world, the 
home, will they divulge? What unexpected comments 
will they make upon the story or our statements? What 

[8 5 ] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

malapropos remarks may they venture? The circle talk 
is as much more difficult than the story for most teachers 
as is the open debate than the studied speech. 

Is this discouraging? Not so, except to very faint 
hearts, but rather stimulating. The most highly civilized 
nations of the world have made conversation a fine art, 
and become skilled in repartee. What finer art can a 
teacher of little children cultivate than the satisfying one 
of meeting their confidences with loving sympathy, their 
questions with thoughtful answers, their naive comments 
with wise tact, and their bits of news with respectful 
attention? Such a teacher will find abundant reward in 
the wider opening of that door of communication between 
her and the children, which spells friendship, and a still 
finer satisfaction in the disclosures such free expression 
reveals of the real feelings and opinions she has been able 
to induce through her teaching. 

A question occurs right here. Should these communi- 
cations simply be accepted as confidences, to establish an 
intimacy between teacher and children, and as indications 
of the efficacy of the teaching they have received, or can 
they be further utilized? 

In one of our first lessons we quoted Dr. George 
Dawson as saying, "Everything in a child's surroundings 
should be interpreted religiously." Here, then, is our 
great opportunity to accomplish this. The interests and 
incidents of the children's lives, brought to us informally, 
may often be related to the lesson of the day. They may 
frequently be illustrated by a song or a Bible verse. 
They may suggest an explanatory blackboard drawing. 
They may lead to prayer. In other words, they may be 
"interpreted religiously." 

[86] 



CONDUCTING THE CIRCLE TALK 

The Secret of Success 

Does this freedom on the children's part suggest to 
your mind pandemonium, an unregulated buzz of conver- 
sation? Surely not that. It is simple to request one 
child to wait for another to say what he wishes. Does it 
suggest desultory talk on any subject whatever, entirely 
without sequence or connection? From this one might 
gain intimacy but hardly education. Without doubt 
there will be many an irrelevant remark, inappropriate 
question and recital of incidents impossible to relate to the 
subject at hand. It lies with the teacher to perceive both 
when this is so and when a connection is possible. It 
lies with her to discern between the confidence that may 
be interpreted by a song or a word, and that which should 
be merely received sympathetically; between the remark 
which should be passed over and that which will inten- 
sify the thought of the day, or the child's religious feel- 
ing; between the question that demands a thoughtful 
answer and that which is not worthy serious attention. 

The teacher who is in close sympathy with her children 
will gain their confidences, and if she is also filled with the 
lesson theme, she will be quick to catch any connection 
between it and their chance remarks. Then, too, she 
will be adept in guiding the conversation into a channel 
that will illustrate this theme. 

Nor will she limit her "interpretations" entirely to the 
present theme, for surely a child may be thankful as well 
as inspired to generosity at Christmas, and a reference 
to clothes or food should deepen his sense of the 
heavenly Father's care, in the spring as well as when that 
subject was particularly impressed. Remarks that illus- 
trate past as well as present themes are valuable, always 

[87] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

remembering that the chief object is to make clear the 
theme of the day. 

Practise Work 

Nor must a teacher rely too much upon her sympathy 
and quick- wittedness at the moment. She may gain by 
practise in conducting the circle talk as in story-telling. 

Suppose we play a kind of game. We will write one 
of the themes where all can see it. A member of the class 
may make a natural child's remark, and select another 
member to meet the remark as a teacher should — pay little 
attention to it, briefly comment upon it, or relate it to the 
theme. Then will follow an open discussion as to the 
wisdom of the method used and possible suggestions for 
one that is better. Whoever makes such a suggestion 
will next give a typical child's remark or ask a question 
or offer a confidence, and this will be responded to in like 
fashion. Any so-called child's remark that is not actually 
childlike will be ruled out. 1 

Take first the theme, The Heavenly Father's Care. 
Suppose a child says, "See my new suit!" Isn't this a 
remark to be hushed up, lest he become unduly fond of 
clothes? Can it have any possible connection with the 
theme? Surely it can — a very real one. The new suit 
may be "interpreted religiously." Instead of, "Hush, 
hush, my dear, do not talk about your clothes!" the under- 
standing teacher will say something like this — "I am so 
glad you have such a warm, pretty, new suit. Who 

^his method has been used successfully, and given in- 
experienced teachers a clearer idea of informal, inductive teach- 
ing than would be possible in any other way, except by visit- 
ing a Beginners' class session. A suggestive discussion follows. 

[88] 



CONDUCTING THE CIRCLE TALK 

gave it to you? Did you know that your father could 
not have given you your suit, except for an animal that 
wore it first? Yes, a woolly sheep. And do you know 
who made the coat for the woolly sheep and for you? 
Yes, the heavenly Father. 'He careth for you.' " And 
most natural after this will be the suggestion by a child 
of the song, "He Cares for Me." Thus the theme of 
the day will be introduced or continued through a little 
child's casual remark, and he will be helped to see the 
loving care behind his clothes. 

Suppose, instead, a child starts to relate in all its details 
some catastrophe he has witnessed on his way to Sunday 
school — such as a dog run over by a car. Isn't this one 
of the confidences to be nipped in the bud, that he may not 
impose his feeling of horror upon the entire group? If 
you feel that the confidence will be somewhat assuaged 
by sharing it, as is often the case with children, let him 
tell you after Sunday school, or an assistant may take him 
aside to listen to the tale and help him to forget it. 

Suppose, still again, a child comes across the circle to 
say eagerly, "My grandma has come to see me." Shall 
you attempt to relate such a bit of home news to the 
theme ? Wouldn't such an attempt be rather far-fetched ? 
It seems to me the natural response will be, "How lovely ! 
A visit from a grandma is one of the nicest things that 
can happen." It will perhaps be spontaneous to include 
in a prayer you make later about being glad for various 
things the children have mentioned "and for visits from 
grandmothers and people we love." 

Take now the theme Children Helping. Children 
respond well to your questions as to how they help at 
home, but in the midst of recitals of dishes wiped, errands 

[8 9 ] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

done and chairs dusted, a young child may look at you 
fixedly and remark, "You've got on a new hat." Can this 
possibly be connected with the subject? Will you, then, 
treat the small interrupter like a culprit? Will you not 
rather say, "Yes, and I like to have new things, don't 
you?" and then continue with your talk. Suppose, in- 
stead, a child says, equally irrelevantly, "My mother 
won't let me eat candy." Isn't this an opportunity to 
show that obedience is a very good way of helping? And 
then, perhaps, say you know a song about the kind of 
helpful child that minds and dusts and goes on errands 
with a happy face, and sing, — 

"Happy as a robin, 

Gentle as a dove, — 
That's the sort of little child 

Every one will love." 

The charm of the circle talk comes from weaving to- 
gether remark, song, story review, Bible verse, prayer 
and question into a connected whole, one thing explain- 
ing and complementing another, so that the theme never 
becomes tedious, being impressed in such a variety of ways, 
and the children's thoughts are regarded and interpreted. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. Explain in what lies the difficulty of the circle talk. 

2. Give your idea of its charm and possibility. 

3. What attitude and spirit on the teacher's part will lead 
to success? 

4. Mention two natural remarks of children, one of which 
may be related to the theme, Love Shown by Kindness, the 
other having no relation, and describe your manner of meeting 
them. 

5. Do a similar thing in connection with the theme, Friendly 
Helpers. 

6. Outline a suggestive circle talk on any theme you may 
choose. 

[90] 



LESSON XV 

Building the Program — The Remaining Parts 

"Genius is the capacity for taking pains" 

The Greeting and Opening Music 

We have spoken of the two very important parts of 
the program, the story period and the circle talk. If we 
allow twenty minutes for the circle talk and fifteen min- 
utes for the story period, we have twenty-five minutes 
left. How shall we fill this time most profitably? Tell 
me rapidly things you have noticed in the program and 
we will consider which are essential and which non- 
essential. 1 

First of all, what is natural at the very beginning of the 
session? Is it enough for the teacher to greet the chil- 
dren as they enter the room? Shouldn't they greet each 
other as well? Does this do away with any formality? 
What kind of an atmosphere does it induce? Does it 
accomplish anything toward allaying the lonely feeling of 
the shy children present for the first time? Would you 
single out such a child to be greeted? Why not? Should 
the greeting song be very simple, one that can be picked 

1 The unimportant as well as the important parts should be 
considered, the class deciding which are superfluous and which 
necessary. Always remember that you are the class leader, 
not its dictator. The above discussion is, of course, merely 
typical. 

[91] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

up readily without formal teaching? What is the sim- 
plest one you know? 

Do you ever ask two or three children to go about the 
circle shaking hands, and looking into each other's eyes, 
while the greeting song is sung? Do you think that 
every absent child should be mentioned each Sunday? 
that those who were absent the Sunday before should be 
sung to, individually or collectively? 

Can we afford to spend a long time in this greeting? 
Have you ever seen it dragged out to such length that 
it lost its effectiveness ? Let it be hearty and spontaneous 
and it need not take many minutes. If it is perfunctory 
with us, it will be with our children. Unless we as 
teachers infuse into the simple song, so often repeated, an 
enthusiastic warm-heartedness, it will degenerate into 
a monotonous, stereotyped thing. The greeting is actually 
a test of our real fondness for the children and gladness 
to see them. Might it occasionally be seasonal, as at 
the New Year, Christmas and Easter? 

But is a circle of active little children usually in a con- 
dition for a regulated greeting? What are these chil- 
dren apt to be doing before the beginning of the sesion? 
Even if they are in their chairs, are they sitting motion- 
less? Will it need considerable "calling to order," if we 
take that method of notifying them that Sunday school 
has begun? Is there a better method of doing this? 
And anyway is your sole object calling to order? At 
this very beginning an atmosphere may be induced and the 
keynote for the hour struck. How? Yes, very effectively 
and satisfactorily by opening music, usually termed 
"quiet music." What will this do as regards discipline J 
the children's feelings? 

[92] 



THE REMAINING PARTS 

What character of music should be used? May it 
accomplish more than merely producing a good atmos- 
phere and orderly behavior? When a new tune is played, 
it is in this way made familiar. Should such music al- 
ways be quiet? Think of a sultry, lifeless day, and a 
circle of tired, dull children. What kind of opening 
music would you use then? 

Let us set aside the first five minutes for the open- 
ing music and greeting. 

Birthday and Cradle Roll Services 

There is a certain very important event in a child's life 
that we must not lose sight of in Sunday school. Next to 
Christmas, to what day do most children look forward? 
A birthday is a red-letter day in a child's year, for it is 
usually celebrated at home in some fashion, and it marks 
an advance toward the delectable state of being grown-up. 
The feeling that has prompted its observance in the 
Sunday school is an excellent feeling, though its observ- 
ance has frequently been ill-advised. Describe to me 
birthday celebrations you have observed and criticize 
them. 

Is it necessary or desirable that we pattern our Sunday- 
school birthday recognition after home birthday celebra- 
tions? Why not leave the birthday cake for the home in- 
stead of supplying a dubious imitation in wood, on which 
dust collects and, in summer, candles droop piteously? As 
pleasing to the birthday child and far more appropriate is 
a special chair in which he sits. It may be a chair differ- 
ent from the others or one decorated with a bow of bright 
ribbon, and the honor of occupying it has the added 
advantage of taking none of our precious moments. How 

[93] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

much time can we afford to spend in a birthday recogni- 
tion? Is there need of a special birthday song? prayer? 
Let us never forget that simplicity and brevity, where 
there is genuine feeling, are more effective than long, 
elaborate exercises. 

Should the Cradle Roll have any connection with the 
Beginners' department, and should it be noticed in the pro- 
gram? Have we the time or the need for a lengthy serv- 
ice of admission to the Cradle Roll ? Need the Cradle Roll 
be mentioned each Sunday? Isn't it possible on a Sunday 
when a number of birthdays need to be recognized to 
postpone admitting a Cradle Roll baby till the following 
Sunday ? 

Opening Prayer and Offering 

Should there be prayer early in the hour — a recognition 
of God's presence? It seems natural, indeed, necessary 
for a truly spiritual teacher to speak to the heavenly 
Father, as she and the children have spoken to each other. 
This prayer may occupy a special place in the program 
and yet be sincere, if it is a real prayer on the teacher's 
part and suggested sympathetically to the children. After 
a time they will grow so accustomed to it that they will 
often suggest speaking to the heavenly Father. 

Do most children bring an offering? For what is 
it desirable that the money should go — for the purchase of 
supplies or for some charitable object? If the latter, 
should the children know anything about the object, that 
is, should they be given a detailed account of a mission 
field ? Is there time ? the necessity ? Is it sufficient simply 
to say that the money is for some of God's poor people? 
Is there any special time of year when the offering should 

[94] 



THE REMAINING PARTS 

be made a very prominent part of the program? How 
about Christmas? Name various methods of taking up 
the offering, and let us decide upon the most practical. 
Do you advocate a lengthy offering service? Isn't five 
minutes ample for either cradle roll or birthday service, 
opening prayer and offering? 

The Order of the Program 

After this will naturally come the circle talk, lasting 
for about twenty minutes. Or will the story come best 
before the circle talk? It seems natural, doesn't 
it, to have the review of the last story and the conversa- 
tion in regard to its truth before the new story? Isn't it 
best to listen to the children's confidences early, rather 
than late in the hour? Sometimes they cannot wait 
even till the circle talk to tell the news they are full of. 
And then, the program should be so planned as to work 
up to a climax — that climax the story, with its response 
of feeling. 

Between the circle talk and the story period what is 
needed, that the children may attend well to the story? 
Surely three or five minutes for moving about and resting 
cramped bodies. 

After the story period there should be an orderly dis- 
missal. This will be best effected by putting on the 
wraps before the good-bye song is sung. If, however, 
there are mothers to attend to the wraps, or if the room 
opens directly upon the street, the good-bye song may be 
sung and the folders distributed before the slight disorder 
of getting the children ready for outdoors. 

The following, then, is the program as we have out- 

[95] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

lined it, the program that is to make possible, and not 
destroy freedom. 

Quiet Music and Greeting 5 minutes 

Birthday or Cradle Roll Service 

Opening Prayer ► 5 minutes 

Offering Service 

Circle Talk 20 minutes 

Rest Period 5 minutes 

Story Period 15 minutes 

Putting on Wraps 1 

Good-bye Song I 10 minutes 

Distribution of Folders J 

60 minutes 
Dismissal 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

1. Give your ideal for the greeting. 

2. Bring examples of effective opening music and tell 
where found. 

3. Write out effective plans for birthday and Cradle Roll 
recognition. 

4. Tell your opinion as to the object of offerings and an 
appropriate service. 

5. Outline a program, with reasons for the order. 

6. Come prepared to carry out an entire program, choosing 
your lesson. 



[96] 



LESSON XVI 

The Importance of Music 

All the music that we hear, 
Listening with the outward ear, 
Would he powerless to win us, 
If there lived not deep within us 
Its innate idea. 

— Friedrich Froebel 
Its Double Function 

Did you ever hear of a Beginners' session without 
music? Why is music used so universally? It has 
two functions — its effect upon the children and its use as 
self-expression. 

What effect has martial music upon soldiers? a lullaby 
upon a baby? Mention other instances of music's won- 
derful influence. Give illustrations of music that has 
made a special appeal to your children. There is the 
music at the beginning of the program, which has power 
to create an atmosphere for the hour — the reverent hymn 
that induces worship, or the cheery tune that dispels dull- 
ness and inertia. What a challenge is the brisk march to 
leave the room in good order! What an awakening of 
the spirit of hearty greeting the well-known notes of the 
welcome song! Have you utilized music in this way 
all that is possible? 

Then there are the songs which afford a means of self- 

[97] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

expression. If the tunes of such songs are adapted to 
the words, and if the words are simple and childlike, and 
have been so taught as to be full of meaning, the play- 
ing of the tune will seem to say to the children, "Come 
and sing me! Here's something you want to sing!" 

So, in our use of music, let us think of its double prov- 
ince, and not limit ourselves to a single function. 

Its Quality- 
There is something else to be thought of beside the 
type of music we use, and that is its quality. Quiet 
music may be a trifling air played softly or it may be a 
succession of delicate, harmonious chords. A march may 
be rag-time, or one equally easy to march by, and yet 
high grade. Music must be of a worshipful character 
in order to inspire to prayer. Of all places Sunday school 
ought to be one in which children's ears grow accustomed 
to the finest music, and the Beginners' department should 
set the standard. 

As to songs, what is a necessary qualification, if little 
children are to sing them at all? In your opinion does 
simplicity mean inferiority? They must not only be 
easy to learn but so attractive that the children will wish 
to learn them. Rhythm is essential and that does not 
in the least mean two-step or cheap waltz time. Melodies 
that will sing themselves in the child's head and insist on 
being hummed are what we want, and are in no way 
inconsistent with high-grade music. Many folk-song mel- 
odies and airs from classics are childlike, simple and 
alluring. 

As to the words, let the same rule hold. Shall we 
teach words so beyond the comprehension of the children 

[98] 



THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC 

that they cannot be used as the expression of their 
thoughts? Shall we, on the other hand, fill their minds 
with trivial words or trash, their one recommendation 
being their simplicity? Mention examples of both kinds. 
Which is preferable? Can you repeat a song that is both 
simple in thought and word and also good literature? 
How about some of Robert Louis Stevenson's poems? 
Christina Rossetti's? 

Selection of Songs 

We must remember that little children cannot learn 
many songs, and therefore plan very carefully our year's 
program, so that the songs cover and yet do not unneces- 
sarily duplicate the truths taught. One Christmas song 
well-known, and therefore well-beloved, is far better 
than several that can be but half-learned. If we want a 
song that expresses the love of the Lord Jesus, "Jesus 
Loves Me" is both time-honored, appealing to children, 
and so simple that the smallest child can pick up at least 
the refrain. It is appropriate and inspiring with all the 
stories of Jesus. The Bible verses that are used with the 
lessons, when set to music, may make a delightful combina- 
tion of valuable words and simple tunes. Not more than 
one* seasonal song is advisable, and a single verse of a song 
is usually enough. Occasionally, in a long song, such as 
"Can a Little Child Like Me," the teacher may sing the 
verse and the children join in the refrain — in this case 
a prayer. Frequently a song may be sung to the children 
by the teacher. This is a pleasant change from continu- 
ous talking, and no teacher need be a professional singer 
in order to be quite acceptable to her small audience. 
This gives an opportunity for a good many more songs 

[99] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

to be enjoyed than can possibly be learned by the children. 
Often one tune, such as that of "Good Morning to You," 
may be used with a slight change of words for Christmas, 
New Year and birthday greetings, to save learning a new 
tune. 

In the teachers' text-books of some Beginners' courses, 
notably the International, a program of songs is given, the 
words of many of them being printed on the child's folder, 
to facilitate their use at home. A caution is needed right 
here against following any such schedule absolutely, for 
adaptations must always be made to one's own particular 
children. Any such program naturally takes into consid- 
eration the fact that, except in departments newly formed, 
a part of the children will remember more or less well 
the songs of the previous year. 

In our selection of songs, then, let us test each one thus : 
What appeal does it make to little children? Will the 
words awaken thought or serve as self-expression? Have 
they literary merit as well as the quality of simplicity? 
Is the music high-class and yet attractive and singable? 
Is this a necessary song or does it duplicate a thought? 
Is one verse sufficient? How can I secure the use of 
this song at home as well as in Sunday school? With 
what other lessons besides this particular one will it be 
appropriate? If it is hardly worth the effort of being 
learned, will the refrain be sufficient? or shall I sing it 
all to the children? 

The Use of Songs 

Having spoken now of the function of music and rules 
governing the selection of songs, and in our lesson on the 
circle talk considering quite at length the sympathetic 

[ 100] 



THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC 

teaching of songs, that they may be sung understandingly, 
suppose we spend the remainder of this class in thinking 
about the use of songs. For it is frequently the case in 
all our teaching that we fail signally to make the most 
of what we have taught. We study to tell our stories 
well and have them retold, but then consider our task at 
an end. We teach Bible verses so that they are recited 
intelligently, when we drop them as things learned 
and therefore finished with. When a song is learned and 
sung at the appropriate time, we are too apt to leave it. 
Most of us have not caught the vision of the use we can 
make of old stories, familiar Bible verses and beloved 
songs, thus deepening their impression a hundred fold. 
The more little children use the few songs they know, 
the better they love them and the more spirit they put into 
them. This does not mean that spring songs should be 
sung when snow is flying, and the New Year welcome 
when the year is nearing an end, but that songs not strictly 
seasonal will bear frequent use and gain instead of lose 
through repetition. 

A Means of Emphasizing the Thought 

Sometimes it is well to sing just for the pure love of 
singing — song after song that the children choose. Some- 
times we suggest the song that fits the thought, or im- 
presses our teaching. And most often the song forms a 
part of the continuous sequence of thought our session 
claims to have — chosen now by a child, now by the 
teacher, illustrating a picture, introducing a story, making 
clear a Bible verse — so fitting into thought and feeling as 
to assist in making the program a unit. Do we feel the 
desire to worship? We have prayers that are sung as 

[IOI] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

well as spoken. Are our hearts filled with love of Jesus, 
the children's friend? What more appropriate expres- 
sion of our feelings than the well-beloved " Jesus Loves 
Me"! Does the outdoor world make a strong appeal? 
There are the songs of the season. Is Christmas or 
Thanksgiving absorbing our thoughts? It is time for 
a festival song. Have we received an impulse toward 
kindness or helpfulness or loving obedience? This im- 
pulse is wonderfully strengthened by a song bringing out 
the same idea. 

The way songs are chosen adds much to the children's 
interest in them. Tell methods you have used successfully. 
The element of mystery and surprise is always fascinating. 
"We will shut our eyes and when we open them Ruth 
will be standing by the picture that makes her think of 
a song," we say. "We will play be asleep, while John 
whispers a song to the pianist, and we will not wake up 
till we know from the tune what song it is." "Harry 
will draw something on the board that will help us to 
guess the song he wants." Such methods add variety 
and interest. 

A Means of Self-Expression 

Again, our use of songs is largely as self-expression 
and never as an accomplishment. There will always be 
the child who is a line behind, the child who sings in a 
monotone, the child who will not sing at all. A finished 
performance is not possible with such little children, 
especially as we have them but once a week, but life, 
interest, appreciation and self-expression are possible. 

You notice I have used the pronoun "we" instead of 
"they." This is done advisedly, for unless we share with 

[102] 



THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC 

our children their enthusiasm, their feeling and their love 
of singing, we are not truly sympathetic. Our own 
power of entering into the simplest and oftenest repeated 
song with abandon, real and not assumed, shows us true 
child lovers, sympathetic guides, feeling what the chil- 
dren feel and sharing their spiritual growth. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. What is your idea of the function of music? 

2. Illustrate your ideal of songs, both music and words. 

3. Report the best sources you know for this type of song. 

4. Make out a possible schedule of songs to be used for a 
quarter with the Beginners' course you are teaching, and bring 
to the class for criticism. 

5. Discuss possibilities for the sympathetic use of songs. 

6. Come prepared to conduct a circle talk, bringing in the 
songs effectively. 



[103] 



LESSON XVII 

Seeing and Touching 

Round-eyedj quick to hear and eager to touch, he is 
busy absorbing the world about him. — Luther A. Weigh 

Utilizing More than One Sense 

It is perhaps hardly necessary, in these days when sense' 
training is becoming such an important part of a child's 
education, to speak of the advantage of appealing to more 
than one sense in our teaching. However, do not most of 
us confine ourselves too closely to a single sense, and that 
is — ? By story, conversation and music we appeal to the 
sense of sound, largely to the neglect of sight and touch. 
And the response we look for must also be directed to our 
sense of hearing — our children must speak or sing. 

Now, it is a fact that ear-drums become somewhat lax 
in sending messages to the brain if they receive too many, 
so why not give eye and hand a chance? For, in the be- 
ginning of the child's development, eyes and inquisitive 
fingers did even more for his education than ears, and we 
shall do him a hurt by neglecting to continue utilizing 
them. 

Number, Size and Color of Pictures 

Possibly, next to songs, pictures are most generally 
used in Beginners' departments. In this way the impor- 

[ 104] 



SEEING AND TOUCHING 

tance of an appeal to the eye has been recognized, but 
often, alas, indiscriminately. Some teachers seem to act 
on the principle that if a thing is good, more of it is 
better. For instance, if one picture is good, fifty-two a 
year are better, and as many more as possible better still. 
If a small picture is good, a large one is better, and a very 
large one best of all. If color attracts children, all pic- 
tures should be colored, and the brighter the colors the 
more attractive the pictures. 

Let us stop to consider this matter. Do you think 
there can be such a thing as too many pictures? Isn't 
this our present-day danger — giving our children a super- 
fluity of everything? What is the effect upon them? 
Isn't it far better for one picture to become familiar and 
well-beloved than for a great number to be merely 
glanced at? If two pictures illustrate the same thought, 
wouldn't it be well to choose between them instead of 
presenting both? Of course, where one uses pictures to 
bring to the children's minds several varieties of the same 
thing — such as animals, flowers or vegetables — the matter 
is somewhat different. 

As to the size of the pictures, is there any possibility 
of their being too large? Can children be as intimate 
with a very large picture as with one comparatively 
small? Will such pictures tend to take away the 
homelike atmosphere of the room? On the other hand, 
are pictures so small that they cannot be seen a yard off 
of very much use in a Beginners' circle? 

In regard to color, do you prefer all the pictures 
colored, or do you see any advantage in a variety — some 
in black and white or brown tints and some colored? 
Might those that are colored be more distinctive for 

[io 5 ] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

being comparatively rare? Do you see any argument in 
having pictures portraying figures and action uncolored, 
while nature pictures of flowers, birds and trees are 
colored? Does a horse need to be colored to attract a 
child's attention? a kitten? a squirrel? How about a 
flower? a bird? a vegetable? 

A teacher may argue that, because children notice and 
like highly-colored newspaper supplements and other pic- 
tures of crude coloring, therefore only such will appeal 
to them. What is your opinion ? We owe their esthetic 
sense something, and it is as much a cheapening of reli- 
gion to associate it with crude pictures as with inferior 
music. 

Form, Kind and Use of Pictures 

Not alone the size but the form of the pictures is 
important, if they are to accomplish all that is possible. 
The chief point to remember in regard to their form is 
that they be of such shape the children can easily 
handle them, and that not only the picture of the day but 
those for a few preceding Sundays be in sight and often 
referred to. What form lends itself most readily to this 
necessity ? 

The kind of story pictures to be chosen are, naturally, 
those that depict events most likely to interest children. 
Usually a picture showing action is most desirable. Let 
us examine critically pictures of different Beginners' 
courses and see if they meet this test. Also let us see how 
many emphasize the truth taught. Is it well to have 
some of the) pictures of recognized artistic value ? Why ? 

The use of pictures as a means of self-expression we 
mentioned in our lesson on the circle talk. What other 

[106] 



SEEING AND TOUCHING 

uses have they in connection with the story of the day? 
with preceding stories? How can they be used in inter- 
preting Bible verses? songs? as a test of the children's 
grasp of the truths taught? in awakening thought? as 
an incentive to purposeful physical activity? Can 
they be used in any other way? 

A Neglected Sense 

Let us turn our attention to another sense — one which 
has received too little attention at our hands, and yet one 
every child makes use of instinctively — the sense of touch. 
We speak laughingly of the propensity of children to "see 
through their fingers," and yet constantly baffle the use 
of this sense by the command, "Don't touch." "Being 
good" in a child means to the average adult eyes and ears 
on the alert, but a tempered tongue and folded hands, 
unless, indeed, they are engaged in performing a legiti- 
mate task — legitimate being interpreted helpful to grown- 
ups or, in their eyes, educational. 

So in the Sunday school we hang pictures well up out 
of reach, show objects but do not encourage handling 
them, and thus deliberately abandon that avenue 
of knowledge — touch. Little fingers eager to stroke and 
point out and small hands formed for grasping and feel- 
ing are forbidden their part in the wonderful task of 
gaining ideas. 

Shall we not reform and allow fingers in our scheme 
of education — not only as a means of so-called "hand- 
work," but to touch and handle objects and so learn about 
them and love them? Let us try to remember the days 
when the floor was so very much nearer than the ceiling, 
and in an ordinary room the legs of the furniture were 

[107] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

better known to us than the backs or tops, when the man- 
telpiece was a distant part of the world and even most 
windows high peep-holes, through which we could only 
look a-tiptoe. With such remembrances, in our Begin- 
ners' room we shall drop our pictures from a place mid- 
way between ceiling and floor to a level with little chil- 
dren's eyes and ringer tips. We shall have our black- 
boards low enough for short people to use easily, and any 
objects will be placed on a low table in the circle. 

Then the pictures may be touched and the people and 
animals and flowers in them indicated. The shy child, 
who will not tell any of the story, will delightedly point 
out in last Sunday's picture the Wise Men, the camels and 
the star, the shepherd boy holding his rescued lamb, or 
whatever the story characters may be. Some tiny child may 
even kiss a pictured story hero or animal, thus showing 
his affectionate interest. 

The necessity for handling the objects used in the 
Beginners' circle is easily seen, these almost in- 
variably being objects of nature. The bit of lamb's wool 
or the cotton-boll feels so much softer than it looks. 
Why not pass it around so that every child may touch it? 
It seems much more wonderful that the squirrels can 
crack nuts and extract seeds from cones, when one has 
felt just how hard and stiff they are. The sea-shell is 
better known for being handled, the pussy-willow better 
loved for being stroked, and who that has seen a child 
sink his nose deep into the sweetness of a flower and gen- 
tly finger its satin petals can bear to say, "Yes, pretty 
flower, but dont touch"? 



[108] 



SEEING AND TOUCHING 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. How is it possible to overwork one of the senses to the 
neglect of the others? 

2. Bring to the next class pictures illustrating good and bad 
points in size and color, form and kind. 

3. Come prepared to illustrate the use of pictures in any 
way you may choose. 

4. What sense are we apt to neglect? 

5. Explain how a rearrangement of many a Beginners' room 
is necessary if the senses of sight and touch are to be utilized. 

6. Give concrete examples of the use of the sense of touch. 



[109I 



LESSON XVIII 

Learning Through Doing 

The spiritual validity of hand-work is entirely a ques- 
tion of method. — Milton S. Littlefield 

Proper Perspective 

The idea of hand-work has so caught the interest of 
many Sunday-school teachers that they feel a session is 
a failure without it. The teachers of Beginners realize 
that little children's abilities in this line are limited, but 
they are not willing to appear so behind the times as to 
confess having no hand-work, and so there is much 
clamor for cards to color, outlined figures to sew, mate- 
rial for modeling, and the like. Money is carefully hus- 
banded that kindergarten tables may be purchased, 
specimens of hand-work are exhibited, books of hand-work 
bound up, and hand-work bids fair, in the minds of some 
teachers, to be the criterion by which Sunday-school 
effectiveness is tested. 

Probably the great fault with us all is lack of proper 
perspective. It is so easy to say, "Here is a good thing. 
Let us bring it into the foreground"; and shove back to 
the dim distance others that should be prominent. Sup- 
pose a thing is good — how good is it ? Suppose a thing is 
necessary — how necessary? Suppose a thing is worthy 
a place in our program — how large a place? 

[no] 



LEARNING THROUGH DOING 

Every now and then we get lost in a mass of detail 
and need to restate our aim in teaching and, with careful 
consideration of our limits of time and space, relentlessly 
play the gardener, and pull out the growths that choke 
and hinder the development of the finest plants of our 
little garden. 

Kinds of Hand-work 

Now, first of all, tell me what hand-work is for. Its 
proper function must be decided. 1 

We hear much about an impression being expressed. 
Is this what hand-work means? If it does not accom- 
plish this, then should it not be called "busy work"? 
Make a list of all the kinds of hand-work you have seen, 
and let us decide which must necessarily be mere busy 
work and which may be self-expression. 2 

Can coloring cards be the expression of a thought? 
Is this, then, valueless? Supposing the value to lie 
merely in the increased familiarity with the picture col- 
ored, should such work be frequent? Is there time for 
clay modeling? Can it be done with neatness? I have 
heard several teachers say, "I approve of hand-work, but 
I draw the line at sewing." Is this your feeling? If so, 
is it because there is something about using a needle that 
is intrinsically more closely related to Sabbath breaking 
than using a crayon? or is it because of the limitations 
in sewing? Explain to me how paper-cutting or paper- 
tearing may be used. Is the result worth while? Can 

1 The discussion will be based upon the answers given. If 
original ideas are not forthcoming, draw them out as suggested. 

2 Here, again, the discussion depends upon the kinds of hand- 
work named. 

[HI] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

pasting possibly be self-expression? Is it ever advisable? 
often ? 

Drawing 

Is drawing practicable? Does it require special equip- 
ment ? Some teachers regard tables as a disadvantage, argu- 
ing that in limited time it is better to make use of the 
chair seats. What is your opinion? Suppose we discuss 





. . N * . 



Drawing in application of a story on kindness to animals. 
Above is a dish of meat for a dog; at the right a window 
from which crumbs are thrown for winter birds; and at the 
left a tree on which the birds light. 

the little child's capacity for expressing his thoughts 
through this medium. Will the results be valuable as 
artistic efforts? Will they be of permanent value — 
worthy of preservation? In what will their value con- 
sist? Let us illustrate this by making typical children's 
drawings. Show on the blackboard how you have seen 
a child draw a tree, a horse, a cup, a flower, a bird's-nest. 

[112] 



LEARNING THROUGH DOING 

Can you reproduce a child's illustration of any Bible 
story ? 

These productions are certainly not artistic, often 
hardly recognizable, certainly not to be preserved as mod- 
els for the children's future work, so that these early con- 
ceptions shall become permanent. And yet, despite their 
crudity and inadequacy, they are valuable as expressions 
of ideas. We usually are very lenient with a child's 
early imperfect use of language, and do not criticize him 
for retelling a story in unrelated words and incorrect 
sentences, with original pronunciations and curious 
paraphrases. When we regard early drawings similarly 
as forms of expression rather than works of art, we shall 
understand that they may have educational if not 
esthetic value. 




& 




Drawing of things a child is thankful for — pussy willow, a 
violet, his house. 



Study of Children's Drawings 

In Professor Sully's fascinating study of children's draw- 
ings, in "Children's Ways," he finds value even in a young 

[113] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 



*£^ ^^&K 




Drawings to review a story of God's gifts to the horse, the 
points being a warm coat, strong legs, a tail for brushing off 

[in] 



LEARNING THROUGH DOING 

flies, keen scent and sharp hearing. The upper drawing is the 
work of a child four years old, who hangs legs, tail and head 
on a line, indicating the body, and makes a full human face. 
The middle drawing is by a child of five, who gets the idea 
of profile, except that he puts in two eyes. The lowest drawing 
is done by a child of six, who draws the horse more as one sees 
it, even suggesting the hoofs. 

child's first pencil scrawls, because, though having made 
them aimlessly, the child either sees in them something re- 
motely resembling in form his father or the kitty or a pig, 
or by the alchemy of imagination converts the lines into 
whatever his fancy may dictate, just as a stick becomes his 
doll or pebbles his flock of sheep. Professor Sully has also 
found children using original symbols to represent certain 
objects utterly unlike them in form, always making use of 
these symbols when pretending to draw the objects — 
thus beginning the formation of an original language, 
for are not words but symbols? 

Professor Sully again says, speaking of drawings that 
first make an attempt to reproduce in the slightest de- 
gree the object, "It seems pretty evident that most chil- 
dren when they begin to draw are not thinking of setting 
down a likeness of what they see when they look at an 
object. In the first simple stage we have little more than 
a jotting down of a number of linear notes, a kind of rude 
and fragmentary description in lines rather than in words. 
Here a child aims at bringing into his scheme what seems 
to him to have most interest and importance, such as the 
features of the face, the two legs, and so forth. In the 
later and more ambitious attempt to draw a man in pro- 
file the old impulse to set down what seems important 
continues to show itself. Although the little draughts- 
man has decided to give to the nose, to the ear, and pos- 

[115] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

sfbly to the manly beard and the equally manly pipe, the 
advantage of a side view, he goes on exhibiting those 
sovereign members, the two round eyes, and the mouth 
with its flash of serried teeth, in their full front view 
glory. It is enough for him to know that the lord of 
creation has these members, and he does not trouble about 
so small a matter as our capability of seeing them all at 
at the same moment." 

Looking at children's drawings from this point of view 
— as simply a small attempt at description with fingers 
rather than lips — gives meaning to their rude sketches, in 
that they indicate the points that particularly impress 
them, just as early descriptions of objects are significant. 
As the clock is, not something that tells time, not an arti- 
cle of wood and brass and glass, but a "tick-tick," and a 
knife is, not a small object of certain dimensions and ma- 
terials, but "something to cut with," so a star is a yellow 
dot or cross; a man a round head, with or without 
features, possibly supported on two legs, but often bodi- 
less; a chicken a little round object. 

For a child belongs to the impressionistic school of art, 
and it is simply his impression he tries to give us, drawing, 
as Professor Augsburg tells us, not "directly from the 
object, but from the image of the object that is in his 
mind." 

Plaee in Program and Aim 

If hand-work has a legitimate place in the program, 
there are some further points to settle. Is it necessary 
or desirable that it be employed with each lesson? Why 
not? Isn't there a grave danger of becoming prosaically 
uniform in our programs? Let us always regard each 

fn6] 



LEARNING THROUGH DOING 

lesson as a unit, and study how best to teach that particu- 
lar lesson. Such work in the upper grades is often done 
at home. Will this be the case with little children? In 
your opinion, is there any unfortunate drop in following 
by hand-work a story that has aroused feeling? Do you 
see an advantage in using it the following Sunday in 
connection with the review? Might it form an effective 
approach to the story by illustrating the truth to be 
taught, as, for instance, drawing things the children are 
glad for, preparatory to a thanksgiving story? Suppos- 
ing the blackboard instead of paper is used, is there any 
opportunity for group work? State the advantages and 
disadvantages of the blackboard over individual sheets 
of paper. 

However, the chief point to be remembered, if hand- 
work is employed, is its aim — to impress the truth by self- 
expression. Our goal is spiritual, and it is the meaning 
of the story that makes its illustration valuable, the in- 
tensified feeling that is the reason for drawing the flower 
that made us glad, or coloring the apple that is given for 
food, or trying to show the bird's-nest which a careful 
Father teaches his birds to make. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. State the aim of hand-work. 

2. Discuss some one kind of hand-work, in regard to its 
effectiveness or ineffectiveness. 

3. Report on "Children's Ways," chapter on "First Pencil- 
ings," by James Sully. 

4. Is story illustration helpful? If so, why? 

5. State the points applicable to Beginners' hand-work from 
"Hand-work in the Sunday school," chapter on "Illustrative 
Work," by Milton S. Littlefield. 

6. Give your ideas as to the method of employing hand- 
work and its place in the program. 

[117] 



LESSON XIX 

Utilizing the Play Instinct 

Perhaps play is the best key to the secrets of child na- 
ture. It is the spontaneous expression of those very tend- 
encies which education must use. — Murray 

What Is Play? 

The very phrase "child labor" makes the blood of a 
lover of children boil, so general is the belief in the right 
of childhood to play. Yet the very same person may pro- 
test against "wasting precious moments in play" in Sun- 
day school. Such an one needs to have a clear 
perception of what play is. That it is pleasurable is 
obvious, for no normal child has to be forced to play. 
That it is instinctive almost goes without saying, for is 
not the whole life of a young child play? And, happily, 
in these enlightened days, that anything is delightful as 
well as natural gives it an educational claim. 

Is play, as we are considering it, merely an outlet for 
surplus activity? Some one has designated this sort of 
play "fooling." Real play is a very different matter 
and is to the child a serious though enjoyable thing. 

Is play merely an index to new physical powers? 
That it is this is evident. How a baby delights in creep- 
ing and then in walking and by and by in skipping! 
Often with no end or aim in view he practises his new 

[118] 



UTILIZING THE PLAY INSTINCT 

achievements for pure love of using recently-acquired 
powers. 

Isn't play more than this? Isn't it a preparation for 
life ? Watch a kitten at play. How is its play an appren- 
ticeship for its role of hunter ? Watch a little child feeling, 
smelling, tasting and looking at the objects he plays with. 
He is learning about them and how he can use them. 
See how a young child delights in filling the dish on the 
table with beans and then taking them all out and trans- 
ferring them to the dish on the desk, and when that is 
filled, happily trudging back again with them. Isn't this 
good practise for the drudgery of life's tasks? Observe 
the little girl's tender care for her doll. Doesn't this 
bode well for motherhood? 

We have spoken of the child's play as serious. It is 
serious because the child, when he is "making believe" be 
a horse or a motorman or a shepherd, is not acting a parl- 
or showing off to others his dramatic ability — not at all. 
He is, for the time being, actually the person or animal 
represented. He is not acting but being. As far as he 
can understand the feelings and actions of a horse, so far 
he is a horse. It matters not whether or not he has ob- 
servers, unless they so call his attention to himself that 
he forsakes his play. He is wholly engaged in losing his 
own personality in that of a horse. 

There is nothing light or trivial about this matter of 
becoming another creature. It is a child's first step out 
of himself. Through his play he is learning to under- 
stand and therefore appreciate another's feelings and in- 
dividuality, even though that other be as simple a form 
of life as a butterfly. It is good for a boy to stop being 
a boy awhile and become a butterfly, so that he may begin 

[119] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

to get out of his egoism by realizing a butterfly's as well 
as a boy's point of view. 

Play is the great instinctive expression of childhood. 
James Sully says, "Play is the working out in visible 
shape of an inner fancy." Elsewhere it has been said, 
"The child's pleasurable response to his environment in 
his play" — play leading to an understanding of that en- 
vironment. 

Ideal of Education 

Impressed with this idea of play, the modern educator 
seizes it, as he seizes all vital instincts, as a means to his 
end — the development of the child. Froebel, more than 
any educator, realized the value of play, and utilized it 
in his system of education. His remarkable "Mother 
Play" analyzes and arranges the mother's natural early 
plays with a young child as a basis for the kindergarten. 

Some one has gone so far as to say, "Education should 
be play, organized to prepare for complete living." I won- 
der if you get the full force of such a statement, in the 
face of the traditional idea that duty is a synonym for joy- 
lessness and that education means unpleasant tasks done 
possibly cheerfully but never by any chance gladly. Isn't 
the time at hand when the school boy no longer whines, or 
creeps "like a snail unwillingly to school," when work is 
play and instincts proper educational material ? 

But do some of you feel that we are in 
danger of sending spineless children out into the world? 
Isn't there something in the old idea of forcing oneself 
to study a distasteful subject simply to demonstrate one's 
power of overcoming? Let us think of this for a mo- 
ment. There must be a certain amount of detail work, 

[120] 



UTILIZING THE PLAY INSTINCT 

so-called drudgery, in order to accomplish any task. To 
a genius, absorbed as he is in his work and in love with it, 
even this is done joyously, for the sake of the goal. And 
without doubt work so done is best done. 

Then, too, a boy will perform hardships and monoto- 
nous tasks in play with ease and delight, which if de- 
manded of him as work would be grudgingly executed. 
If by any means the element of joyousness can be infused 
into that which educates him, think of the gain in the 
quality of work done! It is still work, there are hard 
tasks to be performed, but the pleasure in doing them acts 
as a wonderful incentive. "In planning our school sys- 
tems we have snubbed nature," says Mr. Johnson, in his 
"Education by Plays and Games." The tendency now is 
to take nature into the closest confidence; no, rather, to 
sit at her feet and learn of her and be, as educators, 
merely her allies. 

The Play Spirit in Sunday School 

And now to return to our original reason for discussing 
the whole question — is there a place for this instinct in 
Sunday school, or do the desired atmosphere of reverence 
and the nature of the subjects of thought make this out 
of the question? A child may sing and pray and 
question and talk and even move about freely, we have 
conceded. May he ever play? Certainly he should not 
play in the sense of fooling, nor will it be often desirable 
to introduce movements that have behind them no 
thought. But, if we banish legitimate play, we run into 
the greatest danger of opening the door to the play that 
is mere mischief. And do we not deny the child a very 
effective means of education by excluding from our 

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LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

Sunday-school session the kind of play we have discussed ? 

We spoke, while studying story-telling, of the interest 
children take in acting out at home some of the stories 
they hear, and concluded that "playing" an occasional 
story which lends itself to this method of reproduction 
makes it more vivid. Tell me again your feeling about 
the sort of stories we would choose for this. Do the chil- 
dren ever spontaneously use gesture as they retell the 
stories ? 

The play spirit may be utilized more frequently in the 
little physical exercises that are very necessary in relieving 
a cramped position and in insuring attention to the story 
that is to come. When such exercises have a thought 
behind they are real play and an important part of the 
hour. These are usually the impersonation of some ob- 
ject of nature, and a child through such simple play gains 
a vivid impression of many a truth we have tried to teach 
through story, song and conversation. 

He is a garden flower, drooping for lack of rain, and 
when the refreshing drops come pattering down, he 
slowly and gladly raises his head and stretches out his 
leaves. He is the windmill turned by the wind or the 
tree shaken by it, and so feels its strength and mystery. 
He is an evergreen tree sheltering winter birds, or a fruit 
tree whose branches are heavily laden. He becomes one 
of the drops of water that form the stream, and will tell 
you what favorite animal or flower or bird he is giving a 
drink. Here is a brooding mother-bird, with tenderness 
in every motion. There is a swaying flower, its sweet 
face upheld to the sun that gives it life. Quite naturally 
the explanatory Bible verse or song is used in connection 
with the exercise, and no one who has seen the eager in- 

[ 122 ] 



UTILIZING THE PLAY INSTINCT 

terest with which a child enters into this play can ques- 
tion its fitting place in the Sunday school. And in 
the little child there is a lack of self-consciousness that 
makes it very real. 

This same play impulse may be seized upon in making 
the circle talk varied and animated. The children find it 
wearisome to always tell how they help at home, but de- 
lightful to show this in pantomime and have the other chil- 
dren guess what they mean. So often, anyway, things 
will be shown by children who cannot be induced to talk. 
This delight in guessing may be still further employed by 
keeping the drawings the children make a mystery, till 
guessed by the others, or possibly letting them whisper 
to you the drawing they wish you to make, the rest 
guessing what it is. In the case of drawings possibly as 
much of the imaginary element is necessary as that used 
in transforming a stick into a doll! The sense of mys- 
tery is appealed to also by asking the children to close 
their eyes and when they open them to see who is standing 
by a certain picture. Impersonation is used in the 
motion songs and in finger plays. Indeed, the very choos- 
ing of songs, as we have said, need not be mechanical, but 
can be made interesting through the play spirit. 

And let us not be blind to what "make-believe" is in its 
final development. Ideals are formed by this won- 
derful power of picturing ourselves other than we are. 
Sympathy is engendered by impersonating others. Faith 
— the belief in the unseen — -has its root in this serious, 
educative, alluring instinct of play. 



[123] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. Give what you consider the best definition of play. 

2. Show how play is a serious thing to a child. 

3. Compare old and new ideas of the possibility of educa- 
tion being pleasurable. 

4. Report on the chapter on "The Moral Value of Playing 
with Dolls," in "Child Nature and Child Nurture," by Edward 
P. St. John. 

5. Review "Education by Plays and Games," by George 
Ellsworth Johnson, chapter on "Play in Education." 

6. Mention various ways in which the play instinct may be 
utilized in Sunday school. 



[124] 



LESSON XX 

Our Surroundings 

The conception of the universe which we gain in child- 
hood is never wholly changed by later impressions ; and 
he who has early absorbed the idea that the world holds 
nothing but what is dark and dingy, ugly, ungraceful and 
sordid, will sink his mental and moral ideals to the same 
level. — Kate Douglas Wig gin 

Are They Important? 

There was once a private kindergarten whose appoint- 
ments were almost ideal. A low-studded, homelike room 
finished in light wood looked out through many windows 
upon a grove of oaks, where in spring and fall birds sang 
and in winter squirrels played. A few good pictures 
hung low on the soft-tinted walls, and sun and air had free 
access. Yet the children of wealthy families that at- 
tended showed little interest or spontaneity. In the 
heart of the congested section of a near-by city a kinder- 
garten was held in two rooms of a plain tenement. The 
few windows were high and small. There was no system 
of ventilation except through raising these windows. The 
rooms were neat and the most possible had been done to 
overcome their disadvantages, yet even so the surroundings 
were anything but ideal. Yet the children of the poor 
found here delight and freedom for natural development. 
In spite of environment the better work was done here, 

[125] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

for the great difference lay not so much in the class of 
children as in the personalities and ideals of the kinder- 
gartners. 

Shall we, then, conclude that our surroundings are of 
little account? Compared to a teacher's personality they 
certainly are. But consider, if a teacher has such person- 
ality and power that she can be inspiring under poor con- 
ditions, how much more might she be capable of, if her 
environment was a help instead of a hindrance. 

The influence of surroundings is subtle and often in- 
definable. Think back to your own childhood and you 
will feel again the spell of the moods certain places in- 
duced in you. Describe to me some such places and the 
kind of feeling they still arouse in retrospect. Did you 
ever speak of it in your childhood ? Did you then realize 
that these places were acountable for your feelings, 
pleasurable or otherwise? The chances are that you un- 
consciously sought or avoided them, and that it was only 
later you understood the reason for doing so. Walt 
Whitman finely expresses this susceptibility to environ- 
ment: 

"There was a child went forth every day, 

And the first object that he looked upon, that object he became, 
And that object became part of him for the day or a certain 

part of the day, 
Or for many years or stretching cycles of years. 
The early lilacs became part of this child, 
And grass, and white and red morning glories, and white and 

red clover, and the song of the phoebe bird." 

So we need not argue that because children many times 
appear unobservant of their surroundings or indifferent 
to them, they are not important. We are seldom aware 
of the air we breathe, but it permeates our whole nature 
for good or evil. Perhaps an unconscious absorbing of 

[126] 



OUR SURROUNDINGS 

his surroundings is the best description of the child's at- 
titude. Neither, as we said before, can we be greatly 
influenced by good results under poor conditions. And, 
anyway, good and bad are comparative terms, and what 
some might call poor would be to others good sur- 
roundings. 

Ideal Environment 

A good garden is a place where flowers grow well, 
and Froebel was certainly inspired when he originated 
the name "kindergarten." The environment in which 
children will best develop is clearly the ideal environ- 
ment. We have come to the conclusion that normal 
growth necessitates freedom. Where is a little child 
most free? Of course at home. What, then, will be the 
test of our ideal environment? Will it not be home- 
likeness? This may seem to some of us discouraging, 
for visions arise of church pews fringed with little dan- 
gling legs ; of high-studded chapels with the light strained 
and colored by stained glass windows; of damp cellars, 
where unsightly furnaces glow in winter and where 
clammy coolness is the summer atmosphere. And yet 
apparently impossible conditions can be at least alleviated 
and more often banished than a faint heart dares hope. 

Let us first picture the surroundings we would like to 
have, and then try to solve particular problems. Our 
ideal room will of course be only for the Beginners, and 
on the ground floor. We surely will agree that one of 
the conditions necessary to plant growth is necessary to the 
well-being and pleasure of children. What is this? If 
we can get into our Beginners' room sunshine, or at least 
light and fresh air, we shall have gone a long way to- 

[127] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

ward producing a homelike feeling. Gloom and darkness 
tend to make a little child lonely and afraid, and stale air 
is deadening. 

In this ideal room would you have the ceiling far 
above the heads of the little people, or would you prefer 
a low-studded room? Which is more homelike? 
Should the room be much larger than the circle of chairs? 
What additional space is needed? There must be an 
inconspicuous place for visitors, but otherwise the walls 
ought to be as near the children as possible. Far-away 
walls and pictures never really form a part of the little 
child's environment, which is composed, like his ideas, of 
things close at hand. 

What should be the general effect of the walls? A 
good background for pictures is certainly needed, and light 
woodwork and dainty walls are pleasing to children. A 
burlap dado is a very convenient place for fastening story 
pictures which need to be frequently changed, and has 
the added advantage of bringing them within sight and 
touch. The whole question of pictures, however, was 
discussed in a recent lesson. A low blackboard painted 
upon the wall is not a disfigurement, although a movable 
blackboard may be preferred. Is a bare floor best? How 
is a rug a help to order? Will rubber tips on the chairs 
accomplish the same thing? 

Many of us, already established in rooms far from this 
ideal, may by this time feel discouraged, but we will pass 
now to the question of furniture, in which there are possi- 
bilities for us all. Assuredly the most essential furniture 
is seats of some sort. What advantages have chairs over 
settees? Of what height should such chairs be? Is it 
wise to have some shorter than others? Is a musical 

[128] 



OUR SURROUNDINGS 

instrument necessary? Do little children sing better 
with a piano or an organ? State advantages or disad- 
vantages of tables. Even though, for the simple hand- 
work done in the brief time at your disposal, you prefer 
that the children shall use the seats of the chairs, doesn't 
every teacher need a low table, where flowers, objects of 
nature brought in by the children, the papers for the day 
and pictures can be placed? A cabinet for supplies is 
also a great convenience, and if made to order can be of 
the right size for the pictures, papers, drawing materials, 
song books, and whatever else may constitute the material. 
Some place for disposing of the wraps prevents a dis- 
orderly appearance of the room. Where a closet is not 
available, a light rack or hooks on the wall in an incon- 
spicuous place form good substitutes. Possibly the only 
additional necessity, except seats for the visitors, is a 
screen, placed before the door, so that late comers may 
remove their wraps without disturbing the class. 

Many modern kindergarten rooms furnish good models 
for an ideal Beginners' room — light, sunny, homelike and 
attractive, and any one who is planning a parish house 
or special Sunday-school building would better examine 
such rooms. 

Our Problems 

For the great majority of us the ideal environment is 
not immediately possible. Our problem is as near an 
approach to that ideal as can be managed. So let each 
of us present her problem and we will help solve one an- 
other's. 1 

1 While a text-book cannot solve local problems, and while 
suggestions are expected from the class, a few possible solu- 
tions are given. 

[ 129] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

The first requisite of an ideal environment we decided 
to be a room alone on the ground floor. How many 
have that? Isn't there some room you can have? 
Possibly you can make use of a room in. a near-by pri- 
vate house. Where the room must be shared with the 
primary children, curtains or screens may be utilized. 
These may form temporary walls for hanging pictures. 
If your place of meeting is the one church room, at least 
choose a cosy corner, separated by screens, the frame- 
work of which may be cheaply made by a local carpenter, 
and stained and covered by you. Even if church pews 
must be the seats, there can be benches to support short 
legs. 

Do any of you fail in having light and fresh air? I 
know a teacher who had a stained glass window changed 
for one of plain glass. Occasionally a new window may 
be cut. Narrow boards under the windows allow fresh 
air to enter between the sashes, and a room that is well- 
aired before the session will not become very close during 
the hour. Often in warm weather the class may meet on 
the church lawn where there is no lack of light and air. 

Is your problem one of the size of the room? A small 
room cannot be stretched to suit, but it can be emptied 
of all unessential furniture, and the circle, or, better, the 
incomplete circle, including a bit of the wall where hang 
the pictures, can be arranged to make the most of the avail- 
able space. A large, unhomelike room, on the contrary, 
can be given a cosy effect by means of screens, shutting 
off some of the unnecessary space. 

There is little excuse for any of us not improving the 
appearance of the walls. Dingy or dark walls may be 
tinted, and woodwork painted white at slight expense 

[130] 



OUR SURROUNDINGS 

and surely not to the detriment of the room for other 
uses. A burlap dado may often be added. An ordinary 
bare floor may be painted some shade harmonizing with 
the wall coloring, and an ugly carpet covered with a rug. 
As to the furniture, it is possible to cut off the legs of 
high chairs, if low ones cannot be procured, and hooks 
for wraps and shelves painted white for supplies cost 
little. A musical instrument is the greatest expense, and 
if a good one cannot be obtained, it is better to sing with- 
out, if you or an assistant can carry the tune. 

How to Get Ideal Surroundings 

We Sunday-school teachers often say, with a virtuous 
air, "We must be patient with our si soundings." But, 
after all, isn't patience sometimes the excuse of an indo- 
lent nature? It is the dissatisfied teacher who insists on 
better conditions — and gets them. " Where there's a will 
there's a way" is a pretty good working motto. 

The first step is to awaken the interest of the church 
people. Invite the prudential committee to visit the 
department and while they are fascinated with the chil- 
dren, point out the defects in your room. Most prudential 
committees are not as unapproachable as one imagines, 
and the appeal of an enthusiastic teacher is gladly met. 

However, the people most interested should be the 
parents of the children, and they will be if they realize 
the importance of the work that is being done. Parents 
who visit the class Sunday after Sunday will be as eager 
as the teacher to enhance the beauty of the room, and will 
usually be ready to contribute money or get up. entertain- 
ments or solicit among friends for this cause. The par- 
ents of a certain Sunday school raised money in this way 

[131] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

for a piano, at Christmas the mothers gave a curtain for 
the window, a father had a rack made for wraps, and 
some permanent pictures were given by parents whose 
children belonged to the department or in memory of 
those who had died. Still another way of getting funds 
is through a double offering, any additional money 
brought by the children being used "to make our room 
beautiful." 

At any rate remember this — a good environment means 
that we as teachers have the right ideal and the enthusi- 
asm that is better than patience, because we are willing to 
work and to inspire others to work for the good of the 
children. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. State your idea of the importance of a child's environ- 
ment. 

2. What are the general characteristics of ideal Sunday- 
school surroundings for little children? 

3. Do you find any suggestions in "Kindergarten Principles 
and Practise," by Wiggin and Smith, chapter on "The School 
of Speusippus"? 

4. Describe an ideal Beginners' room, when one can plan 
the building and buy the furnishings. 

5. Describe your own surroundings and suggest how they 
might be improved. 

6. Give some practical methods of making possible good 
surroundings. 



[132] 



LESSON XXI 

Making the Machinery Run Smoothly 

Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. — 
Earl of Chesterfield 

Importance of Organization 

In our course of lessons we have proceeded quite oppo- 
sitely to many people's idea of proper progression. We 
began by studying the child, then endeavored to find out 
the kind of religion that would fit his needs, criticised 
existing curricula, discussed at length the various teach- 
ing methods which would be most effective, and have only 
toward the end come to the subjects of equipment and 
organization which are commonly considered first. For 
are not organization and equipment merely means to an 
end? And if the importance of that end be not thor- 
oughly appreciated, of what possible use are the very finest 
surroundings and provisions? To actually do something 
with little organization and under poor conditions is far 
better than to organize amid ideal surroundings with no 
conception of the reason for so doing. 

In our last lesson we contrasted two kindergartens, 
to the disparagement of that having the more ideal envi- 
ronment. I have seen Beginners' departments, in which 
every detail was carefully arranged, and yet where the 
atmosphere was so lacking in spirituality and the teach- 

[133] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

ing in force that I could not help querying, "Was it all 
worth such perfect machinery?" I have, on the other 
hand, seen really inspired teaching done in departments 
where there were unnecessary interruptions, a lack of 
records, and general hit-or-miss management, and I have 
wondered, "Wasn't it worth better machinery?" 

The Teaching Force 

We do need some machinery, in order to do the most 
effective work, and yet we want this machinery to run 
very, very smoothly, or otherwise we shall destroy the 
homelike atmosphere so essential to the Beginners' depart- 
ment. For after all it is just a company of tiny children 
we have gotten together for story-telling and to sing 
and talk, and it would be absurd to build up about 
such a group an elaborate and formal organization. 
The machinery that must run smoothly should also 
be invisible. In other words, let us minimize red 
tape. 

Suppose we at first decide what adults are needed in 
this department. Will this depend something upon its 
size? Do you consider one teacher sufficient for a small 
class of ten or twelve children? What reason would 
there be for an assistant ? No matter how small the class 
there will be some interruptions from late comers and the 
secretary's or treasurer's visit, and it is difficult to lead 
in singing when one plays as well. However, some 
arrangement should be made whereby the collection and 
record of attendance can be taken without any interrup- 
tion, a tactful teacher can remove wraps while continu- 
ing the session, and a small group can gather about the 
piano to sing. So it is possible for one teacher to fill 

[134] 






MAKING THE MACHINERY RUN 

the office of superintendent, pianist, secretary and assist- 
ant. 

In a large school there should be at least one assistant, 
who will fulfil all the duties apart from the actual teach- 
ing. Her chief qualification, in addition to love of chil- 
dren, should be musical ability. The rest of her work 
should be done unostentatiously, with the thought always 
foremost of protecting the class from interruptions. 

Do you think that a department of fifty or over needs 
more assistants? Is a secretary essential? If so, what 
should be her duties? Certainly there should be some 
records kept, such as the name of each child, his birthday, 
the date of his entering the department and his parents' 
address. The attendance needs also to be recorded in 
some simple, accurate way. What system have you found 
best? Would you take the time for a roll-call every 
Sunday? Isn't it natural to occasionally speak of ab- 
sent children? Doesn't it increase the feeling that the 
class is a big family, any member of which is missed when 
away? Shouldn't the record of absentees accomplish 
more than this? Mailing the child's folder to him gives 
him not alone a delightful feeling of being looked after, 
but makes it possible for him to hear the story he has 
missed. Much better is the paper delivered by a teacher. 
Some large departments divide the children among a 
number of assistants, who call upon those absent from 
their group, or find out in some way the reason for non- 
attendance. 

In a very large school a number of assistants can be 
used in this way, to aid in taking off and putting on 
wraps, and to sit in the circle with the children, helping 
in the singing, in extricating pennies from minute purses 

[135] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

or hard knots in handkerchiefs, and perhaps holding a 
young child during the story period. Such assistants, 
however, need to be unobtrusive, lest they hinder more 
than help. A teacher does not wish whispered colloquies 
between her assistants and children, nor should adult 
voices predominate in the singing. 

Another important duty for somebody is to have charge 
of the supplies, seeing that they are in order and that 
everything needed in the way of folders, story papers, pic- 
tures, crayons and drawing paper is at hand. This 
usually means that the room should be visited sometime 
before the session. Where the class is held in the morn- 
ing or afternoon, at least one teacher should be there soon 
enough to greet early-comers and provide something for 
them to do, either in getting the room ready or examin- 
ing pictures or possibly engaging in some preparatory 
hand-work. 

Other Arrangements 

The foregoing plans are made for a department meet- 
ing in a room alone and taught as a single circle. 
What officers may be eliminated when it seems necessary 
for the Beginners' and Primary departments to meet to- 
gether? Is this an ideal arrangement? What are the 
arguments for and against dividing into two or more 
circles? What further requisites will it make essential 
in the assistants? Certainly the same story will be told 
to all, even though by different teachers, or the circle 
talk is an impossibility. Is there usually one person, even 
when a number form the teaching corps, who tells stories 
particularly well? It seems to me a pity for any one of 
the children to miss the inspiration of a finely-told story. 

[136] 



MAKING THE MACHINERY RUN 

Do you find there is a certain enthusiasm that 
comes from numbers, and that one child's expression of 
thought in the circle talk stimulates another ? Or do you 
feel that the shy children will only express themselves in 
a small group? These questions must decide for each of 
those who have large departments which is the better 
method. The argument that if the teaching is done by 
one person the assistants have nothing to do is absurd, 
for besides the duties that have been outlined, there are 
the visitors to be welcomed and quietly seated, the ventila- 
tion to be attended to, and various other helpful things 
apparent to one tactful and observant. Then, too, a 
teacher will sometimes let an assistant take charge of the 
circle talk or tell the story in her place. Young assist- 
ants will find this very valuable practise, if the teacher 
will criticize them afterwards. 

The Cradle Roll and School Finances 

But of whom are our Beginners' departments formed? 
In a well-organized Sunday school there is a record kept 
of the babies who will come to Sunday school when old 
enough — a kind of waiting-list, called the Cradle Roll. 
The superintendent of the Cradle Roll may be the one 
teacher of the Beginners' department, an assistant, or a 
mother of one of the children. Her duties are to add new 
babies to the list and notify the parents when their chi4 j 
dren have reached the proper age to be enrolled in thie 
Beginners' department — usually at four years, sometimes 
a trifle younger. What other duties will such a super- 
intendent have in connection with the babies' birthdays? 
Christmas? Is a Cradle Roll party ever advisable? 

Another question is that of finance. It costs something 

[137] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

for the regular supplies of the Beginners' department as 
well as for the room furnishings we have discussed. How 
are these expenses met in your school ? Is there a special 
apportionment for the Beginners' department, or are the 
school finances managed as a whole? State the advan- 
tages in your mind of having the Sunday school supported 
by the church. 

Teacher Training 

One other phase of organization needs to be spoken 
of, and that is teacher training. There should be some 
plan for keeping present teachers up to their best and for 
training future teachers. Have you any such provision? 

The teachers may belong to a city union, and gain help 
from Beginners' teachers of other Sunday schools, taking 
up some such course as this, especially adapted to teachers 
of little children. Such is the most ideal kind of organi- 
zation, as numbers usually stimulate thought and many 
viewpoints broaden the outlook. Next best is a teacher- 
training class composed of the teachers of one Sunday 
school, taking up a more comprehensive course, such as 
child study extending over more years or Bible study. 
There can, again, be teachers' meetings, where the teach- 
ers talk over general matters and particular children. 
However, such meetings can usually include a little defi- 
nite study, and are certainly vastly more helpful if they 
do so. 

As to future teachers, they may be members of a pre- 
paratory training class, and observe and at the same time 
assist in the Beginners' department, or, if there is no such 
class, they may meet with the teachers already teaching. 
Such future teachers may, as they advance in their course, 

[138] 



MAKING THE MACHINERY RUN 

occasionally tell the story or conduct the circle talk, al- 
ways under supervision and with criticism afterwards. 
Visiting other Beginners' departments and day kinder- 
gartens, attending summer schools, institutes and con- 
ventions are all helpful. 

Perhaps some of you may think that an entire lesson 
on organization hardly tallies with the opening remarks 
in regard to doing away with red tape. But the sugges- 
tions that Rave been made, if carried out, will not de- 
tract at all from the freedom or homelikeness of the 
department, but make it possible to keep track of the 
family of children whom we see only once a week, and 
accomplish the most possible in the short hour that is ours 
together. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. How important do you consider the organization of a 
Beginners' department? 

2. Give your idea of the number of teachers necessary in 
large and small departments and their duties. 

3. Do you think the best arrangement for teaching a Begin- 
ners' department a circle or several small groups? 

4. Explain the function of the Cradle Roll. 

5. Give your ideas as to the best method of financing the 
Beginners' department. 

6. What further teacher training do you feel • necessary 
and possible for yourself? 



[139] 



LESSON XXII 

Home Cooperation 

To and fro, between home and school, the children go, 
blessed little messengers of good will; and when the kin* 
dergartner comes to see the mother, or the mother to ad- 
vise with the kinder gartner, they are not strangers, 
though they may never have met before. — Nora Archi- 
bald Smith 

Relation of Home and Sunday School 

It is a far cry back to the old days when the home was 
the center of the child's education. We have not reached 
the Spartan ideal of giving over our children entirely to 
the state, but we are approaching it, as regards education, 
not only secular but religious. The ordinary mother 
feels incompetent to teach her children according to 
modern methods, and puts them in charge of trained 
teachers. So, too, many mothers trust their children's 
religious nurture to the Sunday school. 

Isn't it your experience that mothers read the Bible 
to their children or tell Bible stories less commonly than 
once? How many parents do you know who have a 
well-thought-out scheme of religious education for their 
children, which they attempt to promulgate? Do most 
of the parents of your children know just what religious 
teaching they are getting in Sunday school? Did you 

[140] 



HOME COOPERATION 

ever hear of parents who refused to send their children 
to a Sunday school because the teaching did not coincide 
with their views, preferring to teach them at home ? How 
do such parents compare in your estimation with those 
who neither know nor care what their children are 
taught ? 

Much as we may regret any lapse in home religious 
teaching, we can see the advantage of children meeting 
together in Sunday school and receiving instruction ac- 
cording to approved methods. And this need not in the 
least detract from the importance of the home teaching. 
Is there anything, we, as teachers, long for more than 
home cooperation? Is there any greater help we can 
have than parents pledged to carry on the same teaching 
that we give in the Sunday school? The home and the 
Sunday school supplementing each other, working to- 
gether, as neither institution can work alone, the Sunday 
school giving the children the impetus and inspira- 
tion that an outside influence does give, combined with 
the incomparable nurture and encouragement of the home 
— this is our ideal. 

Ideal Home Help 

An institute speaker once concluded an ardent plea 
for home cooperation, when the pastor of the church 
asked, in a convinced but puzzled voice, "Exactly what 
do Sunday-school teachers wish the mothers to do?" So 
let us be practical and instead of prating generalities 
mention specific ways in which home help may be given. 

The prevailing idea, with both parents and teachers, 
is that home cooperation means assisting or compelling 
the children to learn their lessons. The pupil who 

[hi] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

comes to Sunday school able to recite perfectly the mem- 
ory verse and to tell every detail of the story is commonly 
considered to have had the best of home help. In the 
upper grades, too, those pupils who do well the so-called 
"home work" of writing in note-books, pasting pictures, 
looking up facts, and the like, are regarded as being care- 
fully kept to their duties by their parents. Is this the 
sort of help we desire from the mothers of our little 
children ? Shall we expect any of this type of home work 
from them? 

Surely any hand-work will be done during the class 
session. Such simple home work as looking up 
pictures of flowers, birds, Christmas or Thanksgiving 
pictures is liable to be forgotten by our children, unless 
special word is sent to their mothers in regard to it. It 
is more natural for a child to bring in flowers or leaves 
or shells or pine-cones as gifts for his teacher without 
being asked, and such objects of nature can be made a 
very real part of the lesson, by being traced to the Creator 
of all beauty. 

We, of course, do want the stories reread or retold. 
Telling the Bible story with other favorites at the bed- 
time story hour helps the children to regard it as some- 
thing quite different from a lesson to be learned. We 
also want the Bible verses used at home. The word 
"used" is employed advisedly. This is not the age for 
strict memory work, and the sympathetic repetition of 
the Bible verse, after the story is told, or as a comment, 
on the story picture, and also in connection with any ob- 
ject or event of every day, is a kind of home help that 
infuses life into it. 

It is this connection of our Sunday-school teaching 

[142] 






HOME COOPERATION 

with the children's home life that is the real cooperation 
we want. We simply try to interpret the life the child 
actually lives, and if at home the teaching is carried on 
and illustrated by the home experiences, then, indeed, we 
may hope to accomplish great things. The folders of the 
International Graded Beginners' Course, issued by a syn- 
dicate, contain suggestions for such specific help in the 
home, called "The Mother's Part." 

Specific Suggestions 

As is often said, we learn only through experience, and 
education is merely arranging a set of experiences for 
children, which will expedite the acquiring of knowledge. 
Our Sunday-school teaching must be largely theoretical, 
and it certainly needs the practical home occurrences in 
order to be really effective. 

Suppose, for instance, the story is about David and his 
sheep, told to bring out the lesson of tender care for 
God's creatures. The mother's part, in this case, is not 
so much to see that the child knows every detail of the 
story as to encourage him to carry out its teaching — to 
hold him responsible for feeding the cat or dog, to sug- 
gest saving crumbs from his meals for the birds, to avoid 
killing or injuring harmless insects. When there is a 
series of stories on obedience, there is a chance to create 
many opportunities for its exercise at home. When there 
is one on helpfulness, the mother who knows this sees 
that there are plenty of chances to help at home, and 
takes special pains to appreciate any voluntary offer of 
assistance. 

The heavenly Father's care is recognized in common 
comforts, which are made a subject of the evening prayer. 

[143] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

Indeed, this partition often is influenced by the nature of 
the Sunday-school lessons. Sunday-school songs are sung at 
home, not merely to be learned, but for the love of sing- 
ing and for the connection they have with home life. 
Thus, as children of this age have so few interests, if 
home and Sunday school consider the same subjects, think 
of the impression made! 

How to Accomplish This 

Who is to blame for a lack of this ideal cooperation? We 
teachers are apt to say the parents. Is it not largely, 
however, our own fault? How many of you call at the 
homes of the children? ask the mothers to visit the class? 
give any parties or gatherings to which the mothers are 
invited? hold mothers' meetings or form mothers' clubs? 
take any pains to interest the parents in the lessons? ask 
their advice in regard to Sunday-school matters? solicit 
their aid in getting up programs for special days or in; 
making the room more attractive? In most cases the lack 
of cooperation is simply a failure to get together, for 
where this is accomplished it is easy to work for a com- 
mon end. 

We teachers need to know the mothers so as to know 
our children. They can help us inestimably in explain- 
ing one child's shyness, or another's apparent obstinacy, 
or the failure of a third to comprehend. They need to 
visit our classes occasionally, to understand what we are 
trying to do. Is there any objection in your mind to this? 
Surely mothers are a help when they are in sympathy 
with us, and are willing to leave the management of the 
children entirely in our hands, and listen to their quaint 
remarks without comment. 

[ 144] 



HOME COOPERATION 

No teacher need feel too young or inexperienced to or- 
ganize a mothers' club or to hold mothers' meetings. 
The mothers will understand that she is simply the leader 
of the meeting, and not in any sense a lecturer on the way 
they should bring up their children! How have you 
found such a club most helpful? An excellent beginning 
is to make a study of the course of lessons you are teach- 
ing and get the mothers to tell what response the chil- 
dren make at home. A book on child study may be 
taken up and studied together. Perhaps as good a book 
as there is for this purpose is " Child Nature and Child 
Nurture," by Edward Porter St. John, in which subjects 
like "The Meaning of the Child's Fears" and "Training 
the Child to Love" are discussed. In discussions of such 
vital topics much help is gained by all. 

Whatever means are used, we teachers must in some 
way get into contact with the mothers of our children, 
that their religious education may not be incomplete, but 
that it may enter into every event, every relationship and 
every circumstance that touches them. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. Compare the place of the home in old and in modern 
educational schemes. 

2. What home work, if any, is possible for little children? 

3. What different ideal for home work have you than the 
mere learning of a lesson and of Scripture? 

4. Mention some special Bible story, tell why it is told, and 
what can be done at home to make it more effective. 

5. What means do you regard as most effective in leading 
to home cooperation? 

6. Make out a program for an ideal mothers' meeting. 



[145] 



LESSON XXIII 

Festival Days 

In the nature of things there must be holidays. How 
poverty-stricken is that soul which does not recognize 
this tendency and throw itself heartily into the work of 
helping forward the good time youth and unspoiled 
minds accept with gratitude! — Florence Hull Winter- 



Are Festivals Important? 

Festival days are the delight of many teachers and the 
bugbear of others. There are teachers who seem to 
regard the Sunday-school curriculum as a series of "con- 
certs," connected by drills and rehearsals, and consider 
a good year's work accomplished if their children appear 
well at these public performances. No sooner is Rally 
Day over than plans are laid and songs rehearsed for 
Christmas; the Christmas tree is scarcely turned brown 
when Easter recitations are given out; nor are Easter 
lilies faded before Children's Day drill has commenced. 
On the other hand, those teachers who consider public 
appearances a positive harm to little children and drill 
in songs and recitations in no sense a part of their 
religious education, dread instead of anticipate festival 
days, or refuse to allow their children to appear publicly 
then. These are the two extremes. Is there any inter- 

[146] 



FESTIVAL DAYS 

mediate position, or must we all take sides for or against 
the observance of special days? Discuss frankly your 
own feeling. 

We should first consider the importance of festival 
days in little children's lives. What day of all the year 
should you say is dearest to them? Next to Christmas 
doesn't Thanksgiving hold the most important place? 
Is Easter a little child's festival? Children's Day was 
inaugurated for little as well as older children, and Rally 
Day usually means at the present time Promotion Day, 
in which even the Beginners' grade has a part. The 
courses of study for little children take into consideration 
the importance of special days in their lives; indeed, they 
are largely based upon special days and seasons, preced- 
ing Thanksgiving with lessons on God's care, thus lead- 
ing up to a spirit of thankfulness; explaining Christmas 
by stories of the Child Jesus; and letting Easter teach 
its lesson of continuous life. Do you consider this suffi- 
cient observance of these days, or do you wish some more 
public recognition? 

Those who argue on the side of public observance 
claim that the children's interest is retained by this means, 
that the Sunday school is brought to people's attention, 
and that parents are pleased by their children's perform- 
ances. The importance of the interest and cooperation 
of parents was considered in the last lesson. How many 
of you think that public performances are essential to 
this interest? May they arouse enthusiasm in some 
parents who would otherwise be indifferent? Might 
parents be enthusiastic over their children's public appear- 
ance who have no conception of the importance of their 
religious education? Is there something in the argument 

[147] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

that the Sunday school needs attention called to it? Do 
you consider it legitimate to advertise such an institution? 
Isn't there a certain value in making people realize that 
the Sunday school is accomplishing something? 

The first consideration must always be the effect upon 
the children. Have you seen any disastrous effects from 
public celebration of special days upon shy children? for- 
ward children? Would you, therefore, banish every- 
thing of the sort and confine the festival observances to 
the children's own lesson in their own room? Would 
you under any circumstances advise substituting such ex- 
ercises for the regular lesson? 

If these festivals are valuable for little children, any- 
thing that helps them to feel the spirit of the day is im- 
portant. Is this done more surely through the regular 
lessons or through general exercises? If a public cele- 
bration ever occurs, would you, then, insist upon its be- 
ing at a different hour from the Sunday-school session? 
May it be true that the character and manner of pre- 
paring for and conducting such celebrations determine 
their benefit or harm? 

Different Types of Services 

Suppose we talk about different types of services for 
special days. And right here it may be said that there 
is a distinction in the very titles, exercise and service. 
There is the exercise whose purpose is to exhibit the 
children. It is most truly an "exercise," for it taxes 
them to their utmost ability and requires much rehearsal 
and drill. The aim of those who "get up" such an exer- 
cise, and it is quite frankly and laboriously planned for 
and worked over, is to make a good impression upon the 

[i 4 8] 



FESTIVAL DAYS 

audience. The reward they covet is the comment, "How 
well the children did! You are to be congratulated 
that you have drilled them so patiently." Fond parents 
hear with delight enconiums upon their children's powers, 
or, if they have failed to achieve anything noteworthy in 
recitation or song, upon their general attractiveness, their 
good looks or their clothes. The material used for this 
type of exercise is commonly of ephemeral value. The 
emphasis is laid upon the perfect rendering of the songs 
and poems rather than the thought in them. Children 
so drilled recite their "pieces" at home or sing the songs 
for the edification of visitors. Is the effect upon the 
children educational ? helpful in inspiring the spirit of the 
season? Doesn't it create a desire to show off? 

There is another type of service which is a sort of 
review of the work done in Sunday school. The children 
recite the Bible verses they have learned and the songs 
they know, and perhaps even retell some of the stories, 
with the teacher's assistance. It can be made a mere ex- 
ercise, in which the children show what they know, or it 
may be a real service of song and verse. This depends 
almost entirely upon the teacher's attitude and her man- 
ner of conducting the rehearsals. Each rehearsal should 
partake more of the nature of a service than a drill, and 
more said about the words spoken or sung than the way 
in which they are given. 

On Children's Day and Rally or Promotion Day the 
little children's part should always be something they are 
familiar with, in order to be a real service. A combination 
of song and Bible verse similar to what they are accus- 
tomed to in the circle talk will make the public perform- 
ance seem like Sunday school, and the children will 

[149] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

appear natural and not be self-conscious. If the Children's 
Day service comes in the morning, they can be told that 
instead of the minister reading from the Bible, they are 
to repeat the Bible verses they know about the heavenly 
Father, Jesus, the children's Friend, etc., and that they are 
to sing some of their songs to God, just as the choir 
usually sings. The calling of each child's name by the 
teacher, as it is time for his verse, brings about a homelike 
feeling. But what of the child who makes an amusing mis- 
take, or refuses to take his part ? We know only too well 
the ripple of laughter which passes over an audience at 
such an occurrence, the flushed face or tears of the shy 
child, and the proud smile of the child who likes to at- 
tract attention. Can an audience be made to realize the 
importance of their reception of the children's part in the 
service? On certain Children's Day programs was 
printed the following note: 

"The children consider this a service and not a per- 
formance, and the congregation is requested to help them 
in this worshipful attitude." 

Have you any better plan for making the older people 
understand the need of care on their part? 

Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas 

As for Easter, this hardly seems a festival in which 
little children should take a public part, as they cannot in 
the least comprehend the teaching of that day for older 
ones. Is this your view? 

Happily, few of us have acquired the habit of a 
Thanksgiving concert, as this festival comes too near 
Christmas to make it either necessary or practical in the 
eyes of those bent upon advertising the Sunday school 

[ISO] 



FESTIVAL DAYS 

and affording the children a chance to make themselves 
prominent. 

As to Christmas, what is the great peril for our chil- 
dren at this season? Is it not over-excitement? And 
shall we increase that tendency by public performances, 
where there are "pieces" to be remembered and much 
practising to be done? Shall we not rather keep the 
celebration very simple, insist upon a Christmas lesson 
in their own room, to which parents may be invited, and 
where there may be special decorations and the right 
Christmas spirit? Don't you think this the best Christ- 
mas Sunday observance for our children? How many of 
your Sunday schools have also a Christmas tree or a Christ- 
mas party? Do you have the little ones by themselves, 
or do all meet together? If you meet alone, need there 
be anything but the tree, with perhaps some old songs 
and a story? If the Sunday school is so small that it 
seems wise for all to meet together, and the little children 
are expected to take a part in the entertainment preceding 
the distribution of gifts, can't they do something simple, 
requiring little if any practise? They may assist in 
telling a story, by taking the part of the toys or animals 
that figure in it, or they may act out a song in pantomime. 
Whatever they do should be of such a nature that it is 
pleasurable and not an exertion. 

For, as we said long ago, it is the spirit of these festi- 
vals that we wish to foster, if they are to leave any im- 
pression on the children, and it is the children's good 
which must be our first consideration in planning for 
these special days. 



[151] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. State your opinion of the importance for little children 
of observing festival days. 

2. Should the effect of their observance upon parents or the 
Sunday school be at all considered? 

3. Describe the type of service you think worth while. 

4. Tell how a teacher may keep her children natural in such 
an exercise. 

5. Make out an appropriate service for the Beginners' de- 
partment on Promotion Day. 

6. Give your ideas for the Beginners at the Christmas tree 
entertainment. 



[152] 



LESSON XXIV 

The Children's Response 

And these are they that were sown upon the good 
ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear 
fruit. — The Words of Jesus 

Our Aim 

We have had so many consecutive lessons on method 
and management that it seems wise, lest we become over- 
absorbed in detail, to consider again the reason for our 
teaching and the measure of our success. "We teach 
and teach until, like droning pedagogues, we lose the 
sense that what we teach and learn hath other use than 
being taught and learned." 

We must hark back to the very beginning of our course 
of lessons to discover this reason in the child himself and 
his instinctive demand for religion. And what is our 
measure of success? Not the perfection of our equip- 
ment and organization, not the adequacy of our curricu- 
lum, not the logical sequence of our program, not the 
efficiency of our methods — not any or all of these things, 
but rather the response of the children. 

Does this mean that we must turn out model children 
or consider ourselves as having failed in our task? 
Whenever we teachers find ourselves model, we may ex- 
pect our children to be. Does this mean that, at the end 

ti53] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

of our course, we shall produce a graduating class that 
can recite perfectly a certain amount of Scripture? Pos- 
sibly, but the response we want is one of feeling rather 
than knowledge. 

When we speak of coveting the child's response, we 
mean the response of his spiritual rather than intellectual 
nature, which will show itself both in feeling and con- 
duct. This does not underestimate in the least the im- 
portance of the response of the intellect or the vital part 
played in education by interest. It simply rates these 
things as means to an end — that end the realization of 
God, for which we have before used Mrs. Houghton's 
felicitous phrase, "God-consciousness"; and the desire to 
be God-like or the love of goodness. These two things 
are elemental and profoundly religious, for they spell 
spirituality and the basis of Christian character. 

A Child's Feeling toward God 

To regard God as the most important factor of every- 
day life spiritualizes each circumstance and condition. 
This was the attitude of the Hebrews toward life, and, 
though it did not make them perfect human beings, it 
gave them such a deep spirituality that we owe to them 
the great revelation of God found in the Bible. Mention 
men who have possessed in a marked degree this quality 
— if quality it may be called — of God-consciousness, as 
Phillips Brooks, whose response to this was a wonderful 
spirit which blossomed in helpful Christian deeds of a 
rare order. 

In an early lesson we argued that children are instinc- 
tively reaching out after God by their wondering ques- 
tions concerning the cause and origin of things. If we 

[ 154 ] 



THE CHILDREN'S RESPONSE 

have satisfied them by naming the God they seek, and 
through story, song, Bible verse, conversation and prayer 
making him real, their response will be very natural. 
Father and mother, sister and brother will hold scarcely 
a more important place in their lives than does the 
heavenly Father. That he is invisible makes him no less 
real to them, for they live in a world of invisibility, 
of animism. To them stars feel, stones think, flowers 
love, behind everything is a thought, in all is feel- 
ing. What could be more natural than a loving, invisible 
Father, caring for his children? And here all about is 
his handiwork — flowers arising from apparently lifeless 
seeds; a carpet of green grass and a shade of green foli- 
age; rain, snow, wind and cloud with all their mystery 
of source; bird and beast and insect equipped with every 
means of existence and the instinct for preserving it; 
stars twinkling in immeasurable space. 

What has been your children's response to this concep- 
tion of the universe? This response cannot always be 
discovered by the children's remarks, as their deepest 
feelings are usually inarticulate. A chance question or 
comment will often betray their state of mind. A certain 
look in the wondering eyes or the way the word God is 
spoken — not in awed accents, but in a friendly and lov- 
ing fashion — shows the place he holds in a child's heart. 
I have known people to speak and write slightingly of a 
child's conception of God and question the possibility of 
his thoughts being occupied with anything but material 
surroundings and interests. From such a person a child 
instinctively hides these thoughts, for as susceptible to 
ridicule or misunderstanding as the sensitive plant is to 
rough handling is the confidence of a little child. One 

[155] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

who has retained this confidence through sympathy will 
be anything but skeptical in regard to the reality of a 
child's religious feeling. 

"I have brought you some of God's leaves," said a 
small boy to his teacher. 

We were picking strawberries on the hill — wild 
strawberries, like drops of honey. "Doesn't heavenly 
Father make these strawberries nice!" commented Char- 
lotte. 

We were looking at the sunflowers, and I spoke of how 
they sowed themselves and grew and blossomed year after 
year, with no care. "But the heavenly Father is working 
pretty hard all the time," said Barbara. 

I was playfully chiding a little friend for forgetting 
something we had seen together, when, to my surprise, 
her eyes suddenly grew serious as she said, "I don't for- 
get the heavenly Father." 

In children's prayers we see their confidence in God's 
power to banish sickness, to afford protection, to temper 
the beam of the sun and to stop the blowing of the wind. 
Thanksgiving is referred to as "Heavenly Father's Day/' 
fear allayed by the consciousness of God's watchful care, 
and every blessing traced with trustful certainty to the 
Giver of all good. 

The Response of Conduct 

And yet the consciousness of God's presence and love 
for him is not the whole of a child's religion. We want 
the response of action. Our teaching is far too apt to be 
academic only. "They know the stories and can recite 
the Bible verses and sing well," we say with proud 
satisfaction, when what is the aim of it all? Isn't it 

[156] 



THE CHILDREN'S RESPONSE 

growth in character? What great gain will there be if 
we simply arouse feeling? We do not desire children 
that have merely knowledge; neither do we wish a set of 
emotional children; we prefer children that act. 

Do we then expect an immediate and continuous re- 
sponse in conduct? Do you find your children a little 
more helpful after each of a group of stories on helpful- 
ness? Shall we see an instantaneous unselfish act follow 
our lesson on that subject, and prompt obedience the re- 
sult of a story illustrating that virtue ? How is it with our- 
selves? Do we respond immediately to the fine sermon 
or touching song or inspiring book? Isn't our next act 
often a petty one? Has the inspiration, then, gone for 
nothing? Not at all. The great difference is that we 
feel our pettiness as never before. The result of having 
our ideal raised is discontent and contrition at not reach- 
ing that ideal, which leads eventually to greater effort 
and hence greater success. We certainly cannot expect 
more of our children than of ourselves. To help them 
distinguish between right and wrong; to make right 
attractive and desirable and wrong unalluring and de- 
testable; to arouse sorrow and dissatisfaction in wrong- 
doing and content in approaching the right — that is our 
aim, and all the response we can expect. 

After all, don't you find in yourself that the only effec- 
tive incentive to goodness is love of goodness? If we 
have awakened the response of love of right in our chil- 
dren, we may well feel satisfied, even if their acts do not 
always bear this out. Their ideas in regard to unself- 
ishness and kindness, obedience and helpfulness will 
often be quaintly expressed. 

Mayette's older sister once said her Bible verse in this 

[157] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 

way — "Be ye kind one to another, and another means 
Mayette." 

"I'd hit any dog that tried to hurt my cat," said a 
sturdy little protector. 

"I feed the birds every day," said a small boy; "not 
the pigeons, those are father's, but the wild birds; they 
are God's birds and mine." 

Social Service 

In Sunday school itself the actual working out of the 
virtues inculcated is possible. Obedience to the teacher, 
while made delightful, is obligatory, for freedom does 
not banish discipline, but rather necessitates it. Giving 
up one's own desires for the social good is actually prac- 
tised in Sunday school by joining in the song that isn't 
one's favorite because another child chooses it; by wait- 
ing patiently with the incident of home life one is so 
eager to relate till another child has an opportunity to 
tell his tale; by using the self-control necessary to attend 
quietly to the story; by telling some of it even when one 
is shy. We teachers, too, are exemplifying good or bad 
traits all the while. Are we always patient? just? con- 
siderate? sympathetic? encouraging? firm? tactful? 

Perhaps where we all fail is in making the most of 
opportunities for this social service — for it seems to me the 
little child's ideal relationship with others in Sunday 
school constitutes this. His social service will also in- 
clude deeds of happy helpfulness to the family circle, 
caring for pets, the making of gifts to friends. This may 
be extended somewhat to gifts or kind deeds to other chil- 
dren. Which is preferable at this age — gifts to foreign 
children, necessitating some account of their customs and 

[158] 




A LITTLE HELPER 



THE CHILDREN'S RESPONSE 

manners or help for children near by, like the children 
themselves, only afflicted in some way — poor, sick or 
without parents? Which will naturally awaken more 
interest? Isn't the logical sequence interest widening 
from those near at hand to those farther away? A child's 
courtesy to the postman, the grocer's boy, the clerks, of 
whom he makes small purchases, is a part of his social 
service. His gifts of a chubby handful of flowers or 
some handiwork painstakingly fashioned, his feeding the 
winter birds, his picking up his own toys, his careful 
nurture of garden plants, all these are distinctly the so- 
cial service of a little child, the first step toward the more 
extended service of future years. 

What can the Beginners' department do besides in- 
spiring through stories and conversation to such acts? 
Can it undertake any special gift-making at Christmas? 
Thanksgiving? Easter? Let us remember that money 
given by the parents is not as much the child's gift as the 
flower he has picked for the hospital, the scrap-book he 
has helped make for the sick friend, the toys he has 
played with and enjoyed and passes on to another child. 

To recapitulate, we only approach successful teachers 
as we see in our children the response of a consciousness 
of God in the world and in their lives, the love of good- 
ness and a delight in activities that tend toward 
the well-being and happiness of others. 

Co-workers we are with Him! Were he to ask, 

"Come, star with me the spaces of my night, 

Or light with me tomorrow's sunset glow, 

Or fashion forth the crystals of my snow, 

Or teach my sweet June-roses next to blow," — 

Oh, rare beatitude ! But holier task, 

Of all his works of beauty fairest — high, 

[159] 



LESSONS FOR TEACHERS OF BEGINNERS 



Is that he keeps for hands like ours to ply! 
When he upgathers all his elements, 
His days, his nights, whole eons of his June, 
The Mighty Gardener of the earth and sky, 
That to achieve toward which the ages roll, 
We hear thy voice that sets the spheres a-tune, — 
"Help me, my comrades, flower this little Soul !" 

— W. C. Gannett. 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION, REPORTS OR PAPERS 

i. What kind of response on the children's part determines 
our success as teachers? 

2. Give some evidences you have witnessed of a child's 
feeling toward God. 

3. What effect will a consciousness of God have upon a 
little child? 

4. In what degree can we expect a response to our teaching 
in conduct? 

5. What in your opinion constitutes the social service of a 
little child? 

6. In such social service how much of the element of self- 
sacrifice can we expect? 



[160] 



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